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THEOUGH  MASAI  LAND. 


LOwrON: 
PBIKIES  BT  GILBEBT  AKD  EIVINGTOK,  LIUITBS, 

ST.  John's  squakb. 


OK  THl  WXB  PATH   IN  MASAI  1A>I). 


Frontitpieee. 


THROUGH   MASAI  LAND: 

A  JOURNEY  OF  EXPLORATION 

AMONG  THE  SNOWCLAD  VOLCANIC  MOUNTAINS 

AND  STRANGE  TRIBES 


EASTERN    EQUATORIAL    AFRICA. 

BEISG   THE  NARRATIVE  OF  THE  ROYAL   GEOGRAPHICAL 

SOCIETY'S  EXPEDITION  TO  MOUNT  KEN  I  A  AND 

LAKE  VICTORIA  NYANZA,  1883-1884. 


JOSEPH   THOMSON,   F.R.G.S. 

GOLD   XED1.I.LIST  OF   BOTAL   6KOO&l.rHICXL   80CIKTT : 

HOX.    MEM.    SCOTTISH    kSO    ITALIW   SKOGB  VPHIC1.I.   SOCIBmS ; 

I.K1.0IB  or   TBB    EXPEDITIOH; 

ACTmoB  or  "TO  the  cebtbal  Arsicxir  lakbs  jjtd  back." 

OU  Ml  jriMM  C«  MMO  ; 

CW  M  «rao  V  Umtamo. 


NEW    AND    REVISED    EDITION. 


New  species  of  Haitebeest. 


IrOnUon  :• 
SAMPSON  LOW,  MARSTOX,  SEARLE,  &  EIVIXGTOX, 

CBOWK  BUILDIKas,  188,   FLEET  STBBET. 

1887. 

[All  rights  rtserved."] 


BOOKS    ON    AFRICA. 


BY   THE   SAME  AUTHOR. 

Crown  8vo,  Two  Vols.,  with  Portraits  and  Map,  Third  Edition,  iit. 

TO    THE    CENTBAIi    AFRICAN    LAKES    AND     BACK: 

The  Narrative  of  the  Royal  Geogi-aphioal  Society's  Central  African 
Eximlition,  1878-80. 


8vo,  with  numerous  Illustrations  and  Map,  Third  Edition,  21*. 

THE  RIVER   CONGO  FROM   ITS   MOUTH  TO  BOIiOBO. 

By  H.  H.  JOHNSTON. 


Two  Vols.,  crown  8vo,  with  Illustrations  and  Maps,  28». 

UGANDA    AND     THE    EGYPTIAN     SOTTDAN. 

By  the  Rev.  C.  T.  WILSON,  M.A.,  and  R.  W.  FELKIN. 


Two  Vols.  8vo,  with  Illustrations  and  Map,  Second  Edition,  42*. 

SEVEN    YEARS   IN   SOUTH    AFRICA. 

By  Dr.  EMIL  HOLUB. 


Two  Vols,  crown  8vo,  with  lUustrjitions  and  Maps,  Third  and  Cheaper  Edition,  15». 

THE    HEART    OF    AFRICA. 

By  GEORG  SCHWEINFURTH. 


Two  Vols.  8vo,  with  Maps  and  Illustrations,  42». 

FROM   BENGUEIiliA   TO   YACCA   TERRITORY. 

By  CAPELLO  and  IVENS. 


Two  Vols.  8vo,  with  Maps  and  Illustrations,  42«. 

HOW    I    CROSSED    AFRICA,    FROM    THE    ATLANTIC    TO 

THE    INDIAN    OCEAN. 

By  MAJOR  SERPA  PINTO. 


Crown  8vo,  with  Illustrations  and  Maps,  12».  Gd. 

THROUGH    THE     DARK    CONTINENT. 

By  HENRY  M.  STANLEY. 


Crown  8vo,  with  Illustrations  and  Maps,  7«.  (W. 

HOW     I    FOUND     LIVINGSTONE. 

By  HENRY  M.  STANLEY. 


Two  Vols.  8vo.  with  Maps  and  Illustrations,  21». 

THE   CONGO,   AND   THE  FOUNDING  OF  ITS  FREE   STATE. 

By  HENRY  M.  STANLEY. 


IConDon : 

SAMPSON  LOW,  MARSTON,  SEARLE,  &  RIVINGTON, 

OROWN   BUILDINGS,    188,    TLBET  SIRBIT,   B.C. 


TO 

MY  FATHEE  AND  MOTHER 
Ci)ti$  Sook  ii  ScHtcatetl 

IN   THK  HOPE  THAT   ITS   PERUSAL 

MAY    COMPENSATE   TO   SOME   EXTENT    FOB  THE 

ANXIETIES   IT   HAS    BEEN   MY    LOT    TO    MAKE   THEM    SUFFER 

WHILE   I    WANDERED    IN 

MASAI  LAND. 


PREFACE. 


My  reason  for  the  publication  of  the  following  narrative  may 
be  briefly  stated.  Tlx  Expedition  which  I  commanded  was 
of  a  public  character,  and  it  was  imperative  that  some  ac- 
count of  its  doings  should  be  produced.  That  being  the  case, 
I  resolved  to  clothe  the  dry  bones  of  a  mere  report  in  the 
flesh  and  blood  of  a  narrative.  I  can  honestly  say  that  the 
prospect  of  writing  it  was  one  which  had  very  little  at- 
tractiveness for  me,  and  that,  if  I  am  delighted  to  hand  it 
over  to  the  reader,  it  is  more  because  my  task  is  finished  than 
from  any  expectations  of  a  favourable  reception. 

I  suppose  I  need  hardly  attempt  to  deprecate  criticism. 
Still  I  may  be  allowed  to  remind  the  reader  and  reviewer 
that  one  who  at  the  age  of  twentj'-six  has  undertaken  three 
separate  expeditions  to  the  interior  of  Africa  cannot  be  ex- 
pected to  have  had  much  opportunity  to  acquire  the  graces 
of  literature,  or  an  elegant  style.  I  have  poured  this  nar- 
rative forth  red-hot,  without  any  delicate  weighing  of  words, 
or  conning  over  of  sentences,  content  that  my  meaning  be 
expressed,  whatever  might  be  its  guise. 

I  should  have  liked  to  1)e  able  to  say  that  "Through 
Masai  Land"  has  been  -written  under  palm-trees,  or  amid 
other  romantic  surroundings.  A  regard  for  truth,  however, 
compels  me  to  make  the  confession  that  it  has  been  entirely 
composed  under  the  customary  prosaic  surroundings  of  the 
"  easy-chair  geographer." 


X  Preface. 

As  in  the  case  of  my  former  book,  '*To  the  Central 
African  Lakes  and  Back,"  I  have  to  acknowledge  my  in- 
debtedness to  my  brother,  the  Eev.  J.  B.  Thomson,  of 
Greenock,  who  has  relieved  me  of  the  irksome  work  of 
literary  revision,  seen  the  book  through  the  press,  and  other- 
wise saved  me  a  world  of  trouble. 

I  need  but  add  that  with  one  or  two  exceptions  the 
illustrations  are  from  photographs  taken  by  myself  in  the 
course  of  the  Expedition.  For  several  of  the  Wa-nyika 
and  Wa-teita  illustrations  I  have  to  thank  my  friend  the 
Rev.  A.  D.  Shaw,  of  Rabai,  Mombasa,  who  kindly  placed 
his  collection  of  photographs  at  my  command,  and  thus  added 
another  to  the  numerous  obligations  under  which  he  has 
placed  me. 


NOTE  TO  XEW  EDITION. 


In  introducing  a  new  and  cheaper  edition  of  this  narrative 
to  the  public,  little  requires  to  be  said.  Some  additions,  a 
few  corrections,  and,  it  is  hoped,  a  number  of  literary 
improvements  have  been  made,  tending  to  render  the  book 
more  useful  and  more  readable. 

The  chief  fact  to  be  noted  is  that,  since  the  appearance  of 
the  earliest  edition,  great  political  changes  have  occurred  in 
East  Central  Africa. 

Then  (1885)  Masai  Land  was  for  the  first  time  made 
known  to  the  world  ;  now  it  has  come  within  the  "  sphere 
of  British  influence," — a  delicate  way,  I  suppose,  of  saying 
that  it  now  practically  forms  a.  part  of  our  Imperial  posses- 
sions. 

Reasons  of  State,  obscure  to  ordinary  mortals,  have  made 
it  necessary  to  sacrifice  Seyyid  Barghash,  Sultan  of  Zanzibar. 
We  have,  under  these  circumstances,  but  to  congratulate  our- 
selves that  we  have  had  an  Argus-eyed  and  far-seeing  diplo- 
matist to  look  after  our  interests.  In  possession  of  the 
beautiful  plateau-lands  of  Masai  Land,  and  healthy,  easy  route 
to  the  interior,  we  may  look  with  equanimity  on  our  German 
neighbours  further  south,  sweating  in  the  malarious  marshes, 
or  attempting  to  exploit  the  inhospitable  regions  inland. 

I  am  singxilarly  happy  in  being  able  to  incorporate  a  note 
on  the  recent  development  of  events  in  East  Africa,  by  Sir 
John  Kirk,  G.C.M.G.,  whose  im wearied  care  and  watchful- 
ness and  far-seeing  policy  have  not  always  received  the 
recognition  they  deserve.  His  influence  in  the  cause  of 
African  Exploration  has  been  great,  and  he  might  well  be 
called  the  Friend  of  Travellers. 

Others  besides  diplomatists  have  not  been  slow  to  see  the 
value  of  Masai  Land.    At  this  moment  numerous  sportsmen 


xii  Note  to  New  Edition. 

are  seeking  adventures  around  Kilimanjaro ;  while,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  extraordinary  caves,  the  wonderful  volcanic 
mountains,  and  other  physical  features  described  in  these 
pages,  have  supplied  material  sufficiently  romantic  to  stimu- 
late the  imaginative  efforts  of  a  recent  novelist. 

The  advantage  of  the  newly-revealed  route  to  Victoria 
Nyanza  was  promptly  recognized  by  the  Church  Missionary 
Society ;  but  unfortunately  a  rashly-managed  and  somewhat 
ill-timed  attempt  to  utilize  it,  ending  in  a  calamitous  mas- 
sacre, has  postponed  the  possibility  of  fully  profiting  by  it. 

It  only  remains  for  the  commercial  world,  seeking  new 
fields  and  new  outlets  for  its  trade,  to  open  its  eyes  to  the 
extreme  fertility  of  the  soil  and — for  Africa— salubrity  of 
the  climate,  in  order  to  make  British  influence  in  that  region 
something  more  than  a  political  fiction. 

As  the  reUef  of  Emin  Pasha  is  at  present  a  subject  of 
absorbing  interest,  I  may  be  permitted,  in  conclusion,  to  refer 
to  the  expedition  for  that  purpose.  I  cannot  but  express  my 
surprise  that  a  route  which  no  authority  can  deny  to  be  at 
once  the  shortest,  the  healthiest,  and  the  least  obstructed  by 
physical  difficulties,  should,  notwithstanding  the  urgency  of 
the  crisis,  have  been  discarded  in  favour  of  a  route  not  only 
incomparably  more  tedious,  but  obviously  much  more  trying 
in  its  character.  An  expedition  of  manageable  proportions 
might  easily  have  pushed  with  rapidity,  and  with  perfect 
security  as  to  supplies,  through  Masai  Land  and  put  Emin 
Pasha  in  possession  of  the  ammunition,  &c.,  he  so  pressingly 
needs  to  save  himself  and  his  brave  party  from  annihilation  ; 
while  a  supplementary  expedition  might  have  co-operated  to 
secure  the  leisurely  retreat  of  the  beleaguered  garrison. 

If  Emin  Pasha  is  in  the  desperate  plight  represented  by 
his  friends,  it  is  manifest  that  haste  in  getting  into  touch 
with  him  is  of  paramount  importance — a  fact  apparently 
lost  sight  of  in  the  elaborate  preparations  for  the  bringing 
atcay  of  a  party  which  meanwhile  may  be  massacred. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

rASK 
RECOlTXAISSAirCI 6 


CHAPTER  II. 
To  Tavbta 25 

CHAPTER  III. 
A  tovrsiauT  ik  a  fobbst  FAsrsEsa 64 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Thsovgh  ths  soos  of  ths  Masai 72 

CHAPTER  V. 

PBBPABATIOX  foe  a  xrw  ATTKSfPX 100 

CHAPTER  VI. 

OXWABB  OKCE  XOBE! 125 

CHAPTER  VII. 
To  KlKTYU 153 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
To  Lakb  Naitasha 184 

CHAPTER  IX. 
To  Lakb  Babixqo  rid  MoxrvT  Eexia 202 


xiv  Contents. 

CHAPTER  X. 

PASS 

Masai  Land  and  the  Masai 234 

CHAPTER  XI. 
Theough  Kavieondo  to  Victobia  Nyanza     ....  263 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Back  to  Baeingo  via  Eigon 296 

,  CHAPTER  XIII. 
Spoet  at  Baeingo  and  jouenet  Coastwaed  ....  317 


Appendix     .        . .  341 

Note  by  Sie  John  Kibk 357 

Index  .... 361 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


rAss 

On  the  War- path  In  Masai  Land Frontispiece 

Native  Christians'  House 19 

James  Martin  ..........     24 

Wa-njika  Village 27 

Rabai  Mission-Hoose 29 

Wa-nyika  Women  ponnding  grain 31 

Reviewing  the  Expedition 33 

Teita  hut 43 

M-teita  of  Ndara 47 

Wa-teita  Women    ....  49 

M-teita  Girl 53 

Men's  Quarters,  Taveta 55 

Wa-teita  Village,  Ndan 71 

Camp  scene  near  Mandan's 79 

Mandara's  Warriors 83 

BorassosPalm 107 

New  Quarters  at  Taveta Ill 

View  of  Kilimanjaro  across  Lake  Chala 123 

Alcelaphus  Cokii 124 

Lake  Chala 129 

Andorobbo  Men  and  a  Woman 187 

"  Just  in  the  nick  of  time  I  made  a  dash  sideways  "...  140 

Fountains  of  the  Useri    .        .  141 

The  Buffalo's  horns,  Kimangelia 151 

Kilimanjaro  and  the  Njiri  Plain 157 

Masai  Women  of  Njiri.     (Faces  painted) 161 

Qwge  of  the  Ngare  Sure 169 

Masai  Warriors  of  Kapt^        ........  173 

Glimpse  of  Camp-life 176 

Masai  Women  of  Kapto  ........  181 

Camp  at  Ngongo 183 

Donyo  Longonot  from  G.  Kedong 191 

Firewood  Plain  (Angata  Elgek)  from  Kekup^  ....  201 

Warriors  of  Lykipia 205 

The  Thomson  FaUs,  Biver  Ururu 217 

Moont  Eenia  from  the  west 223 

Lykipia  escarpment  from  Njemps 229 

Camp  at  Njemps 233 

Natives  of  Njemps 235 


xvi  List   op  Illustkations. 

PAGE 

Masai  married  Woman,  Njiri 241 

Masai  Kraal,  D.  Longonot  in  distance 244 

Ear  stretcher  and  ear  ornaments 245 

Masai  Weapons  and  Ornaments 249 

Ear  ornaments,  married  Woman 257 

Masai  married  Women,  Njiri 261 

D.  Lobikwe,  Kamasia,  from  near  Njemps 265 

Wa-kwafi  Girls  of  Njemps 267 

Glen  of  the  Guaso  Kamnye 271 

Lava  cap,  Elgeyo  escarpment  .......  273 

Village  of  Kabaras,  Kavirondo 277 

Married  Women,  Kavirondo 279 

Mnd  Walls  and  Gateway,  Massala,  Kavirondo         ....  281 
R.  Nzoia  near  Seremba,  with  school  of  Hippos        .        .         .        o  289 

Victoria  Nyanza  from  Massala 291 

Daughters  of  the  Chief  of  Massala 294 

"  I  was  promptly  propelled  sky  ward  " 306 

Horns  of  the  Buffalo 309 

Natives  of  Suk  on  a  visit  to  Njemps 313 

Gazella  Thomson! 316 

"  Here  I  was  on  my  knee,  behind  a  small  skeleton  bush,  positively 

loolcing  up  at  an  enormous  wild  elephant "      .         .         .         .  325 
Mianzi-ni  from  the  south.     Masai  kraal  in  the  foreground      .        .  335 


Map. 

Eoute  Map  of  the  Masai  Country. 


THEOUGH   MASAI  LAND. 


INTRODUCTORY. 

The  tract  of  country  the  exploration  of  which  will  form  the 
subject-matter  of  this  book,  may  be  described  as  occupying  a 
diagonal  stripe  in  the  area  enclosed  between  5®  S.  Lat.  and 
1°  N.  Lat.  and  the  meridian  of  33°  and  39°  E.  longitude. 

The  commencement  of  the  exploration  of  this  region,  forms 
the  first  chapter  in  the  history  of  East  Central  African  dis- 
covery. It  was  at  Melinde  that  Vasco  di  Gama  first  landed 
after  rounding  the  Cape  ;  and  on  the  reefs  of  Mombasa  at  a 
later  date,  the  treachery  of  his  pilot  brought  him  to  the  verge 
of  ship^\Teck. 

For  several  centuries,  however,  nothing  was  done  to  lift 
the  veil  of  the  unknown  by  exploration,  though  of  course 
some  vague  ideas  of  the  geography  of  the  interior  were 
formed  from  the  crude  native  accounts  which  reached  the 
coast.  Thus,  for  instance,  in  a  Portuguese  work  of  1530,  we 
find  it  stated  that  "  West  of  this  port  (Mombasa)  stands  the 
Mount  01)-mpus  of  Ethiopia,  which  is  exceeding  high,  and 
beyond  it  are  the  Mountains  of  the  Moon,  in  which  are  the 
sources  of  the  Nile."  The  Mount  Olympus  here  mentioned 
we  may  suppose  to  mean  Kilimanjaro,  though  it  would  be 
difficult  to  say  what  are  the  mountains  described  as  those  "  of 
the  Moon ;"  for,  like  the  sources  of  the  Nile,  they  have  been 
somewhat  '•  coy  "  and  hard  to  find. 

From  the  visit  of  Vasco  di  Gama  till  1842,  it  may  safely 
be  said  that  little  of  any  interest  was  added  to  our  knowledge 
of  this  part  of  the  interior.  On  that  date,  however,  a  new 
era  of  discovery  commenced.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Krapf,  driven 
from  his  [Mission  to  the  Gallas  of  Abyssinia,  was  commissioned 
to  visit  East  Africa,  and  ascertain  if  there  was  a  "  door  "  open 
for  the  introduction  of  Christianity.  He  found,  as  he 
imagined,  such  a  place  at  Mombasa.  There  accordingly  he 
established  himself,  the  apostle  of  Christianity  in  East 
Africa,  and  the  pioneer  of  geographical  exploration. 

It  was  not  till  1847,  that  there  was  any  serious  attempt 
to   pass   the   threshold.      In   that  year   Krapfs   colleague, 


2  Through  Masai  Land. 

Rebmann,  made  the  first  of  a  series  of  remarkable  trips  into 
the  region  to  the  west  of  Mombasa.  "With  eight  men  he 
penetrated  the  cultivated  coast  region,  crossed  a  strip  of 
desert,  and  revealed  to  geography  the  interesting  isolated 
mountains  and  picturesque  ranges  of  Teita. 

In  the  following  year,  "  weaponed  only  Avith  an  umbrella," 
and  accompanied  by  no  more  than  nine  men,  Eebmann 
started  on  a  more  extended  journey,  which  was  destined  to 
arouse  the  geographers  of  Europe  from  their  indifference  and 
to  supply  them  with  a  bone  of  keen  contention.  Pushing 
through  Teita,  he  traversed  the  desert  beyond,  and  reached 
Chaga — the  cultivated  country  round  the  lower  slopes  of 
Kilimanjaro.  For  the  first  time  the  eternal  snows  of  the 
mountains  of  East  Africa  were  seen,  though  for  years  few 
believed  in  their  existence.  The  remarkable  nature  of  this 
journey  will  be  understood  when  it  is  mentioned  that  in  a 
recent  natural  history  expedition  to  the  same  place  it  has 
been  thought  necessary  to  take  about  140  men. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  same  year  we  find  Rebmann  once 
more  on  the  road  to  Chaga,  apparently  now  thoroughly 
smitten  with  the  fever  of  African  travel.  This  time  his 
caravan  is  composed  of  fifteen  porters.  It  would  seem,  more- 
over, that  he  has  now  lost  faith  in  the  all-sufficiency  of  his 
umbrella,  and  has  concluded  that  a  measure  of  prudence  is 
not  inconsistent  with  an  implicit  trust  in  Providence,  for  we 
read  that  his  men  were  armed  with  guns  and  boAvs  and 
arrows.  On  this  occasion  he  crossed  the  greater  part  of  the 
southern  aspect  of  Kilimanjaro,  and  reached  Machame,  then 
the  largest  and  most  imj^ortant  of  the  small  Chaga  states. 

Grown  ambitious  by  the  success  of  these  unique  and  re- 
markable journeys,  Eebmann  determined  on  an  expedition  of 
greater  magnitude.  Having  heard  of  a  country  called  U-nyam- 
wesi,  and  of  some  enormous  lake  in  the  same  region,  he 
selected  it  as  a  new  field  of  exploration.  For  this  purpose  he 
formed  a  caravan  of  thirty  men,  and  started  on  the  6th  of 
April,  1849.  His  projected  route  was  via  Kilimanjaro  ;  U- 
nvamwesi  being  thought  to  lie  about  west  from  that  mountain. 

This  expedition,  however,  was  not  destined  to  succeed. 
The  fate  which  has  frequently  befallen  the  African  traveller 
brought  Rebmann's  enterprise  to  an  untimely  end,  just  as  he 
had  reached  the  threshold  of  the  new  country.  Getting  into 
the  hands  of  the  unscrupulous  chief  of  Macham^,  he  was 
plundered  of  everything.  His  hopes  were  ruined,  and 
retreat  became  inevitable.     '^^'(•  need  not  wonder  that  in  his 


Rebmann  and  Krapp.  3 

sore  disappointment  he  was  reduced  to  tears,  while  health 
and  spirits  gave  way.  He  returned  to  Mombasa,  suffering 
great  hardships  on  the  way,  and  we  hear  of  him  no  more 
in  the  work  of  exploration. 

The  "  Mombasa  Mission,"  however,  did  not  remain  idle  in 
the  opening  up  of  new  fields  of  missionary  enterprise.  The 
mantle  of  Eebmann  fell  on  Krapf,  who,  doubtless  fired  by  his 
colleague's  interesting  discoveries,  determined  to  enter  the 
lists.  In  1849  Krapf  started  for  U-kambani.  His  object 
was  to  open  up  a  new  country  to  the  influence  of  Christianity, 
to  ascertain  if  a  route  existed  to  U-nyamwesi,  to  discover  the 
sources  of  the  Nile,  and,  as  he  puts  it,  to  reach  "  those  still 
surviving  Christian  remnants  at  the  Equator  of  whom  I  had 
heard  in  Shoa." 

Taking  a  somewhat  more  northerly  route  than  that  of 
Rebmann,  Krapf  traversed  Teita,  touching  at  the  mountains 
Maungu,  and  Ndara,  also  the  northern  end  of  the  Bura 
Range.  Then,  turning  more  to  the  north,  he  crossed  the 
Tzavo  River,  wliich  flows  to  the  Sabaki,  traversed  Kikum- 
buliu,  the  southern  district  of  U-kambani,  and  reached  Kitui, 
then  reigned  over  by  a  chief  named  Kivoi. 

This  remarkable  and  daring  journey  was  undertaken  with 
only  eleven  men ;  and  as  the  result  of  it,  Krapf  was  able 
fully  to  confirm  Rebmann's  description  of  the  snow-clad 
summit  of  Kilimanjaro,  though  with  Mr.  Cooley  it  remained 
only  "  a  most  delightful  mental  recognition,  not  supported  by 
the  evidence  of  the  senses." 

Krapf,  however,  made  another  discovery  of  no  less  interest. 
On  leaving  Kivoi's  village  on  his  return  journey,  he  descried 
the  summit  of  a  second  snow-clad  mountain  named  by  the 
Wa-kamba  Kenia.  He  describes  it  as  six  days'  journey  from 
Kivoi's,  situated  north-west  of  Kilimanjaro,  and  appearing  as 
"  two  large  horns  or  pillars  "  ! 

Two  years  later,  in  1851,  we  find  Krapf  once  more  on  the 
way  to  U-kambani,  this  time  with  the  express  purpose  of 
founding  a  mission-station  in  the  district  of  Yata.  He  failed 
in  this,  and  returned  to  the  coast  after  a  series  of  extra- 
ordinary hardships  and  adventures.  On  this  journey  Krapf 
penetrated  as  far  as  the  Dana  River. 

iVll  honour  to  those  two  simple,  brave  men,  who  by  their 
wonderful  journeys  gave  an  impulse  to  tliscovery  that  lias  not 
been  properly  recognized,  enduring  hardships  and  facing 
dangers  before  which  those  of  explorers  much  more  highly 
l>elauded  fatle  into  insignificance. 

B  2 


4  Through  Masai  Land. 

A  period  of  ten  years  elapsed  before  the  work  of  exploration 
was  resumed  in  those  equatorial  regions.  In  1862  Baron 
von  der  Decken,  accompanied  by  the  young  geologist, 
Thornton,  visited  Lake  Jipe  and  Kilimanjaro,  and  for  the 
lirst  time  a  map  of  the  region  with  some  approach  to  scientific 
accuracy  appeared.  In  a  second  expedition,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  Dr.  Kersten,  some  new  ground  was  broken  to  the 
south,  and  the  country  still  more  accurately  defined.  Kili- 
manjaro was  ascended  to  nearly  14,000  feet,  and  Mount 
Meru  triangulated.  The  travellers,  however,  failed  an  the 
great  object  of  their  expedition,  viz.  to  enter  the  Masai 
country.  At  the  very  threshold  they  were  met  by  several 
thousands  of  the  dreaded  warriors,  and  compelled  to  return  to 
the  coast.  Their  caravan  leader  was  one  Sadi-bin-Ahedi, 
who  for  the  first,  but  not  the  last,  time  appears  before  the 
geographical  public.  I  have  every  reason  to  believe  that 
Von  der  Decken's  failure  was  mainly  due  to  the  machina- 
tions of  Sadi,  whose  little  ways  in  that  direction  I 
have  much  reason  to  know,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  sequel  of 
this  narrative. 

The  next  who  penetrated  into  the  interior  was  the 
missionary  New,  who  also  journeyed  to  Kilimanjaro,  and  for 
the  first  time  in  history  reached  the  snow-line.  On  his 
return  he  discovered  the  wonderful  little  crater  lake  of  Chala 
at  the  base  of  the  mountain.  On  this  expedition  he  also  was 
accompanied  by  Sadi. 

A  few  years  later  with  the  same  guide  and  interpreter  Mr. 
New  returned  to  Chaga ;  but,  having  failed  to  satisfy  the 
expectations  of  the  dreaded  warrior  chief  Mandara  of  Moschi, 
he  was  plundered  of  everything,  mainly  through  the  instiga- 
tions of  Sadi.  Like  Rebmann  on  his  last  journey  to 
Machame,  he  left  Chaga  broken  down  in  health  and  spirits, 
to  die  on  the  road.  According  to  Mandara,  he  was  poisoned 
by  Sadi,  but  that  part  of  the  story  I  can  hardly  believe  ; 
Sadi  could  have  no  motive  to  do  anything  of  the  sort.  I  can 
more  easily  believe  that  Mandara  himself  had  an  intention  to 
kill  New — as,  indeed,  he  informed  me  in  one  of  his  extremely 
confidential  moments, — but  was  prevented  by  his  mother 
from  carrying  out  his  purpose. 

With  Hildebrandt,  the  naturalist,  closes  the  history  of 
travel  in  this  region.  Following  simply  in  the  footsteps  of 
Krapf,  he  failed  to  get  beyond  Kitui  in  U-kambani,  and  re- 
turned without  enriching  geography  with  any  new  facts 
beyond  a  valuable  series  of  observations  for  altitude. 


A  New  Expedition  ee solved  upon.        5 

Of  the  regions  beyond  Kilimanjaro  and  U-kambani  nothing 
was  learned  by  direct  observation.  Geographers  had  to  be 
content  with  the  itineraries  of  native  traders,  notably  those 
of  Sadi  as  taken  down  by  "Wakefield,  whose  labours  occupy 
by  no  means  an  unimportant  part  in  the  history  of  East 
African  exploration. 

These  accoimts,  however,  promised  a  rich  reward  of  in- 
teresting discovery  to  the  man  who  might  dare  to  face  the 
terrible  Masai,  and  succeed  in  entering  their  country.  This 
seemed  for  years  to  be  too  hard  a  nut  to  crack.  The  enter- 
prise savoured  too  much  of  danger.  Either  the  risks  were 
considered  too  great,  or  the  scheme  too  costly.  Consequently, 
in  spite  of  the  curiosity  of  the  geographer,  no.  attempt  was 
for  years  made  to  organize  an  expedition. 

In  1877  such  a  project  was  mooted,  and  considered  among 
others  by  the  African  Committee  of  the  Royal  Geographical 
Society.  It  found  an  enthusiastic  advocate  in  Keith  John- 
ston, who  longed  to  have  an  opportunity  of  entering  the 
Masai  country ;  but  the  committee  determined  advei-sely,  and 
sent  him  on  the  expedition  to  Nyassa,  at  the  very  commence- 
ment of  which  he  succumbed  to  dysentery,  leaving  me  to 
carry  out  the  work.  My  inquiries  at  that  time  led  me  to 
wish  ardently  for  the  opportunity  of  making  an  attempt  to 
reach  Victoria  Nyanza  through  the  !Masai  country.  There 
seemed,  however,  no  immediate  prospect  of  anything  being 
done  in  that  direction. 

The  year  following  my  return  home  from  the  Nyassa  ex- 
pedition I  went  out  to  East  Africa  to  examine  the  so-called 
coal  region  of  the  RoAiima  basin  for  the  Sultan  of  Zanzibar ; 
but  as  I  failed  either  to  find  or  make  that  valuable  mineral, 
my  distinguished  employer  and  I  parted  with  mutual  satis- 
faction. 

On  my  arrival  from  Zanzibar,  in  January,  1882,  after  my 
failure  to  realize  the  Sultan's  hopes  regarding  rich  coal-fields,  I 
was,  to  my  delight,  requested  by  the  Eoyal  Geographical 
Society  to  report  upon  the  practicability  of  sending  a  caravan 
through  the  Masai  country ;  also  as  to  the  route  and  the 
probable  expense.  I  reported  favourably  and  proposed  a 
plan  of  exploration,  estimating  the  cost  at  about  4000/.  This 
estimate  was  given  imder  the  impression  that  a  naturalist  was 
to  accompany  the  expedition.  The  Council,  after  delibera- 
tion, resolved  to  organize  a  purely  geographical  expedition, 
and  I  was  selected  as  leader  of  the  new  enterprise.  A  sum 
of  2000/.  was  voted  for  expenses.     To  this  an  addition  of 


6  Through  Masai  Land. 

600Z.  was  afterwards  made,  and  then  400?.  more,  on  my 
representations  from  East  Africa  before  starting.  I  should 
have  liked  to  have  had  4000Z.,  but  had  to  be  content  with 
the  smaller  sum. 

In  my  instructions  the  object  of  the  expedition  was 
defined  to  be — "The  ascertaining  if  a  practicable  direct  route 
for  European  travellers  exists  through  the  Masai  country 
from  any  one  of  the  East  African  ports  to  Victoria  Nyanza, 
and  to  examine  Mount  Kenia  ;  to  gather  data  for  construct- 
ing as  complete  a  map  as  possible  in  a  preliminary  survey ; 
and  to  make  all  practicable  observations  regarding  the 
meteorology,  geology,  natural  history,  and  ethnology  of  tlie 
regions  traversed." 

In  the  following  pages  it  will  be  my  duty  to  tell  how  this 
work  has  been  performed ;  to  describe  where,  how,  and  to 
what  purpose  we  journeyed ;  in  other  words,  to  give  an 
account  of  my  stewardship. 


CHAPTER  I. 

RECONNAISSANCE. 

On  the  13th  of  December,  1882,  having  completed  all  neces- 
sary preliminary  arrangements,  I  embarked  on  the  B.I. S.N. 
Company's  steamer  Navarino  bound  for  the  East,  in  which,  by 
the  generosity  of  that  enterprising  company,  I  received  a  free 
passage.  Leaving  the  steamer  at  Suez,  I  enjoyed  a  run  to 
Cairo,  where  I  had  the  pleasure  of  associating  with  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Geographical  Society  on  the  occasion  of  a  farewell 
dinner  to  General  Stone,  who  at  that  time  was  returning  to 
his  native  country.  Lieut.  Weissman,  on  his  way  home  after 
his  brilliant  march  •  across  the  continent  from  west  to  east, 
was  also  at  Cairo,  recruiting  his  health  in  the  balmy  climate 
of  Egypt,  before  facing  the  rigours  of  a  German  winter.  I 
had  the  further  satisfaction  of  meeting  with  his  celebrated 
countryman,  Schweinfurth,  from  whom  I  received  much 
kindly  attention. 

Continuing  my  way  after  a  most  agreeable  trip,  we  touched 
as  usual  at  that  most  impressive  and  picturesque  of  eastern 
ports,  Aden,  and  then,  after  one  of  the  quickest  and  most 
enjoyable  passages  on  record,  wo  neared,  ou  the  26th  of 
January,  1883,  the  now  familiar  island  of  Zanzibar. 


Zanzibar.  7 

It  was  with  very  different  feelings  that  I  now  strained  my 
eyes  to  catch  the  first  glimpse  of  land  through  the  haze,  from 
those  I  experienced  five  years  previously  when,  almost  a  boy, 
I  wistfully  watched  for  the  appearance  of  the  green  isle  with 
its  long-dreamed-of  tropical  vegetation  and  mjTiad  wonders, 
over  which  the  imagination  peculiar  to  the  •'  untra veiled 
traveller "  threw  a  glamour  and  fascination,  that  is,  alas  ! 
only  too  often  dispelled  by  the  rude  facts  of  experience. 
Though  the  waving  palm-trees  with  their  rich  burden,  the 
clove  plantations  with  their  spicy  odours,  and  the  grand  masses 
of  the  mango  with  their  luscious  fruit  and  grateful  shade  had 
now  been  long  familiar  to  me,  yet  Zanzibar  and  the  main- 
land were  still  pleasantly  tinted  by  the  glowing  hues  of  fan- 
tasy— for,  to  me,  here  was  still  a  promised  land,  in  which 
were  many  desirable  nooks  for  the  traveller  who  should 
venture  in  and  win — possibility  of  failure  not  being  allowed 
to  tone  down  my  sanguine  hopes. 

On  the  morning  of  the  date  just  mentioned  the  s.s. 
Oriental,  commanded  by  Captain  Lewnes,  cast  anchor  in  the 
harbour.  Immediately  after,  a  familiar  Zanzibar  figure — 
Pira,  the  active  jack-of-all-trades  to  the  Sultan  Sayyid  Bargash 
— appeared  on  deck  in  the  capacity  of  His  Highness's  gossip 
and  harbour-master.  Thereafter  I  proceeded  on  shore,  as  in 
duty  bound,  to  call  upon  Colonel  S.  B.  Miles,  a  name  not 
unknown  to  geographers  as  a  traveller  in  the  Somali  country, 
who  at  this  time  was  acting  as  consul-general  and  political 
agent  for  Sir  John  Kirk,  then  absent  on  a  wellHlcserved 
holiday.  I  was  received  at  once  as  an  expected  and  welcome 
guest  by  Mrs.  Miles,  and  installed  in  my  old  quarters,  which 
I  had  now  occupied  so  often  that  they  had  acquired  a 
distinctly  home-like  aspect. 

I  was  soon  put  in  possession  of  all  the  news  which  form 
the  main  staple  of  conversation  in  a  place  far  removed  from 
the  exciting  arena  of  European  politics.  It  was  with  much 
regret  that  I  learned  that  Bishop  Steere  had  gone  over 
to  the  majority.  A  gentleman  of  rare  talent  and  tact, 
he  curiously  combined  High  Church  procliNnties  with  the 
characteristics  of  a  man  of  the  world.  As  head  of  the  Uni- 
versities' Mission  to  East  Africa,  he  performed  herculean 
labours  of  a  singidarly  varied  character,  which  will  ever  form 
the  most  appropriate  memorial  of  him  as  a  great  and  good 
man. 

A  loss,  however,  which  I  felt  more  immediately  than  that  of 
Dr.  Steere,  was  that  of  the  well-known  Chumah  whom  I  had 


8  Through  Masai  Land. 

hoped  to  have  again  with  me  as  head-man.  He  also  had 
died  after  a  short  but  stirring  life,  having,  in  his  own  special 
way,  done  much  indirectly  to  open  up  Africa  to  science  and 
commerce. 

It  was  Avith  considerable  relief  that  I  heard  from  Colonel 
Miles  that  our  Government  had  addressed  the  Sultan  and 
recommended  me  to  his  good  offices.  I  had  been  afraid  that, 
as  I  failed  to  find  a  coal-mine  for  him  on  the  Rovuma,  and 
l^arted  from  His  Higlmess  on  somewhat  bad  terms,  he  would 
do  all  in  his  power — and  he  could  have  done  not  a  little — to 
spoil  my  travelling.  Now,  however,  I  felt  pleased  to  know 
that  if  he  did  not  help  me,  he  was  at  least  not  likely  to 
make  obstacles. 

The  news  about  the  interior  was  of  no  special  interest. 
The  missionaries  were  still  as  active  as  ever,  and  were  at 
least  keeping  the  country  open,  if  not  making  many  converts. 
The  Belgian  Branch  of  the  International  African  Association 
had  now  ceased  making  further  attempts  to  pass  beyond 
Tanganyika,  and  were  content  to  hold  on  to  Karema,  which 
had  more  than  realized  all  my  worst  prognostications.  Several 
men  had  died,  and  up  to  that  time  the  grand  hopes  of  the 
Association  were  without  fulfilment.  Unyanyembe  had  also 
been  given  up,  though  in  the  most  suitable  position  either 
for  assisting  the  advancement  of  civilization  and  Christianity, 
or  as  a  centre  for  the  scientific  traveller.  The  Germans,  more 
active  and  more  scientific,  had  not  been  quite  so  idle.  Much 
useful  work  had  been  done,  though  nothing  specially  note- 
worthy. A  few  days  after  my  arrival,  tidings  arrived  from 
the  interior  that  the  astronomer  of  the  German  party  had 
reached  Lake  Leopold,  but  had  died  there. 

I  was,  however,  more  especially  interested  in  liearing 
about  the  movements  of  a  German  naturalist  named  Dr. 
Fischer.  This  gentleman  had  spent  many  years  on  the  coast, 
and  had  been  commissioned  by  the  Hamburg  Geographical 
Society  to  penetrate  into  the  very  regions  for  which  I  my- 
self was  bound.  It  was  thought  necessary  to  throw  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  mystery  about  his  movements — where 
he  was  going  and  what  route  he  would  adopt.  I  gathered, 
however,  that  he  proposed  visiting  ^Mount  Kenia  and  Lake 
Baringo,  penetrating,  if  possible,  beyond  to  what  was  then 
supposed  to  be  the  Galla  country.  Although  he  had  spent 
several  months  in  preparation,  no  one  knew  anything  definite 
about  the  proposed  expedition  till  he  was  ready  to  start. 
The  first  news,   therefore,  of   tlio  fact   took  me  not  a  little 


My  Head-men.  9 

aback  as  I  thought  of  the  ground  being  cut  away  from  my 
feet  in  this  unexpected  manner.  I  had  to  console  myself 
with  the  reflection  that  the  field  was  large,  and  that  some 
pickings  might  after  all  fall  to  my  share. 

Having  thus  renewed  my  acquaintance  with  my  friends, 
and  with  the  familiar  places  of  other  days,  gathered  together 
the  news  of  the  interior,  and  learned  how  far  light  had  lately 
been  shed  in  dark  places,  I  made  a  commencement  in  final 
preparations. 

My  first  business  was  to  secure  my  head-men,  on  whom  so 
much  depends  for  the  success  of  an  African  expedition.  In 
this  I  was  fortunate.  There  was  Makatubu,  my  able  second 
head-man  in  my  two  previous  trips.  For  powers  of  work, 
great  energy,  and  general  intelligence  he  stands  inferior  to 
none  of  all  the  Wa-swahili  I  have  yet  come  in  contact  with. 
His  one  great  defect  is  an  utter  absence  of  tact  in  dealing 
with  the  men  under  him.  He  never  can  acquire  the  neces- 
sary influence  to  lead  men.  But  for  this  I  should  not  have 
hesitated  to  place  him  at  the  head  of  my  caravan.  As  it 
was,  I  had  to  relegate  him  to  his  old  position  of  second,  and 
place  the  goods  under  his  special  charge. 

Casting  about  for  a  leader,  I  was  delighted  at  finding 
Muinp  Sera,  or  Manwa  Sera,  the  head-man  of  Stanley  in 
his  journey  across  the  continent.  I  thought  I  had  secured  a 
prize  in  this  man,  who  would,  I  imagiaed,  be  likely  to  have 
some  of  the  "  go  "  of  his  distinguished  master.  I  could  not 
have  made  a  greater  mistake.  He  turned  out  as  lazy  and 
unprofitable  a  personage  as  could  be  well  conceived,  though, 
to  give  him  his  due,  he  was  honest  and  intelligent,  and  never 
attempted  to  thwart  me  in  any  way  whatever.  He  was, 
however,  content — probably  through  age — to  be  looked  upon 
as  purely  ornamental,  and  was  treated  acconlingly. 

I  was  also  somewhat  disappointed  with  Kacheche — Stan- 
ley's much-praised  detective,  who  proved,  however,  to  be  not 
unusefuL  For  instance,  he  was  an  admirable  buyer  of  food, 
and  as  good  at  distributing  it  to  the  men.  He  had  as  many 
strange  ways  as  any  heathen  Chinee,  but  for  general  odd  jobs 
was  as  good  as  could  be  got.  Kacheche,  therefore,  was  put 
at  the  head  of  the  commissariat  and  intelligence  depart- 
ment. 

Next  to  Kacheche  came  Brahim,  or  Ali  Xgombe  (Ali  the 
bullock).  It  was  a  somewhat  risky  step  on  my  part  to  put 
this  man  in  the  position  of  a  head-man.  In  my  first  expedi- 
tion he  was  a  porter,  who,  while  he  was  without  exception 


10  Through  Masai  Land. 

one  of  the  best  men  in  my  caravan  as  a  worker,  was  yet  the 
ringleader  in  all  the  troubles  with  the  men.  He  it  was  who 
led  the  mutiny  in  Uhehe  when  every  man  deserted,  and  at 
all  times  he  was  a  thorn  in  the  flesh.  Powerfully  built,  with 
a'  ferocious  expression  when  angry,  ho  was  the  very  heau- 
ideal  of  a  savage.  He  was  at  once  the  bully  of  the  caravan 
and  the  idol  of  the  men.  With  such  attributes,  I  concluded 
that  if  I  could  elevate  him  above  the  men  and  cut  him  off 
from  them  by  giving  him  a  superior  position,  I  might  turn 
all  his  good  and  bad  traits  in  my  favour.  It  Avas  a  bold  but 
also  a  lucky  venture.  In  everything  Brahim  turned  out  as  I 
expected.  He  had  a  remarkable  influence  over  the  men. 
They  were  afraid  of  him,  and  yet  they  loved  him  for  his 
jolly,  rollicking  disposition.  Where  formerly  he  delighted 
to  raise  trouble  and  mutiny,  he  now  became  the  terror  of  all 
cantankerous  individuals.  The  sight  of  Brahim  with  a  stick 
was  quite  sufficient  to  oil  the  wheels  of  caravan  life  into 
admirable  working  order.  He  occupied  the  position  of  my 
aide-de-camp,  my  personal  road  assistant,  and  hunting  com- 
panion. A  more  generally  useful  man  I  have  never  had,  and 
I  would  not  have  exchanged  him  for  any  ten  men  in  my 
caravan. 

My  list  of  head-men  was  completed  by  the  addition  of 
Mzee  Uledi,  an  extremely  useful  man,  deft  in  working  Avith 
cloth,  and  expert  with  goods  generally.  He  formed  INIaka- 
tubu's  assistant  in  looking  after  the  goods  and  stores. 

On  the  whole,  my  caravan  leaders  were  as  thoroughly 
good  a  set  as  I  could  have  hit  upon,  and  it  gives  me  great 
pleasure  to  state  how  thoroughly  they  co-operated  with  me 
in  every  way,  striving  with  zeal,  determination,  and  honesty 
to  make  the  expedition  successful. 

It  onl}^  remains  that  I  should  mention  another  valuable 
addition  made  to  the  caravan  in  the  person  of  James  Martin, 
a  Maltese  sailor.  On  leaving  England  I  had  determined  on 
not  taking  any  white  man  with  me,  but  on  my  arrival  at 
Zanzibar  Martin  presented  himself  with  very  good  certilicates 
of  character.  He  had  been  over  six  years  m  the  employment 
of  the  C.M.S.  Mission  at  Mombasa,  knew  Ki-swahili  well, 
and  had  been  thoroughly  accustomed  to  the  natives.  As  he 
was  then  out  of  work,  and  ready  to  go  for  whatever  I  pleased 
to  give  him,  I  at  once  resolved  to  take  him,  and  I  am  happy 
to  say  that  I  had  never  reason  to  regret  my  decision. 
Though  unable  to  read  or  write,  he  Avas  very  intelligent  and 
could  talk  about  ten  languages  in  sailor  fashion.     In  every 


A  Trip  of  Enquiry.  11 

respect,  manners,  language,  dressing,  &c.,  he  was  far  above 
the  average  sailor,  and  from  the  first  I  never  scrupled  to  treat 
him  more  as  a  companion  than  a  servant.  Yet  he  never 
presumed  upon  this,  but  from  first  to  last  was  most  respect- 
ful, had  no  opinions  of  his  own  as  to  what  should  be  done  or 
not  done,  was  ever  prompt  to  carry  out  orders,  and  always 
anxious  to  do  something.  To  show  how  well  we  got  on,  I 
might  mention  the  possibly  unprecedented  fact  in  African 
travelling,  that  we  actually  never  once  had  an  unpleasantness 
between  us.  I  cannot  speak  too  highly  in  Martin's  praise, 
and  if  it  were  ever  my  lot  to  go  back  to  Africa,  I  would  seek 
for  no  better  an  assistant 

Having  completed  these  important  and  satisfactory 
arrangements,  it  became  necessary  for  me  to  make  a  trip  to 
Pangani  and  Mombasa,  so  as  to  acquire  some  information 
regarding  the  routes  through  the  ^lasai  country  and  the  nature 
of  the  goods  required  by  the  tribes  of  that  region,  also  to  find 
out  whether  it  would  be  advisable  to  take  my  porters  from 
the  coast-towns  whence  trading  caravans  depart,  or  from 
Zanzibar,  the  natives  of  which  were  quite  unacquainted  with 
the  region  to  be  traversed,  and  were  looked  upon  by  the 
people  of  the  interior  with  great  dislike.  "With  these  objects 
in  view.  I  started  with  Martin  and  my  head-men  on  the  fifth 
day  after  my  arrival  at  Zanzibar.  Setting  sail  on  the  evening 
of  the  1st  of  February,  we  found  ourselves  next  morning 
tacking  about  in  our  wretched  dliow  near  the  north  end  of 
the  island,  trying  in  vain  to  make  headway.  Towards  noon 
a  more  favourable  breeze  sprang  up,  and,  after  the  usual 
tit  of  sea-sickness  in  crossing  the  channel,  we  entered  the 
Pangani  River  and  cast  anchor  at  the  town  at  3  p.m.  On 
landing,  we  proceeded  at  once  to  the  house  used  by  the 
agents  of  the  Universities'  ^lission,  who  rest  here  on  their  way 
between  Zanzibar  and  their  station  of  Magila,  at  the  base  of 
the  U-sambara  Mountains.  I  had  been  provided  with  a 
letter  to  the  Wali,  or  Governor,  but  foimd  that  he  was  out  of 
town. 

I  was  fortunate  enough,  however,  to  meet  Fischer's  head- 
man, who  proved  to  be  communicative.  He  told  me  a  sad 
tale  of  months  of  delay  and  of  other  annoyances  sufficient  to 
drive  any  one  mad.  Men  had  deserted  wholesale,  in  spite 
of  the  most  active  assistance  of  the  Wali,  backed  up  Mith 
peremptory  orders  from  the  Sultan.  At  that  moment  there 
were  actually  fifty  runaways  captured  and  chained  in  the 
town.     The  greater  part  of  a  year  had  thus  been  consumed. 


12  Through  Masai  Land. 

These  facts  tallied  very  much  with  my  own  knowledge  of 
coast  ways,  and  I  mentally  concluded  not  to  attempt  to 
organize  my  caravan  at  Pangani. 

The  evening  was  spent  among  the  Indian  merchants,  who 
received  me  hospitably,  and  gave  me  most  valuable  informar 
tion  regarding  the  goods  required  up  country. 

Next  morning,  as  there  was  nothing  to  be  gained  by  a  pro- 
longed delay,  I  set  out  to  walk  along  the  coast  to  Mombasa, 
as  much  to  acquaint  myself  with  the  general  appearance  of 
the  country,  as  in  the  hope  of  adding  to  my  knowledge  of 
the  requirements  of  my  expedition.  Our  route  lay  along 
the  lower  of  the  raised  beaches  Avhich  here  skirt  the  coast. 
It  is  but  poorly  cultivated,  and  the  greater  part  is  occupied  by 
bush,  dwarf  fan  palms,  and  the  dom  or  doum  palm.  A  six 
hours'  sharp  march  over  this  uninteresting  country  brought 
us  to  the  small  village  of  Tangata.  I  was  somewhat  dis- 
appointed to  find  that  Martin  was  by  no  means  a  good  Avalker 
and  had  skinned  his  heels  sadly.  "We  stopped  at  Tangata 
for  the  night,  and  refreshed  ourselves  by  a  bath  in  the 
creek. 

Getting  off  the  first  thing  in  the  morning,  we  crossed  the 
creek  in  a  canoe  to  a  village  on  the  opposite  side,  where  I  was 
much  interested  in  the  return  of  several  porters  from  a  Masai 
caravan. 

A  few  hours  broug^it  us  to  the  important  coast-town  of 
Tanga,  which  is  charmingly  situated  on  the  upper  raised 
beach,  among  groves  of  cocoa-nuts,  and  with  a  pretty  creek 
running  into  the  land,  which  forms  a  capacious  harbour. 

On  my  arrival  here,  I  was  compelled,  in  mercy  to  Martin, 
to  give  up  my  intention  of  proceeding  further  by  land,  and 
determined  to  take  to'  that  most  atrocious  of  all  transports — 
an  East  African  dhow.  One  was  found  to  be  "  ready  "  to 
go  at  once,  and  I  thereupon  concluded  a  bargain.  In  the 
evening,  having  been  apprised  that  when  we  were  ready  the 
dhow  was,  we  marched  down  to  the  beach,  to  have  the  satis- 
faction of  finding  the  dhow  high  and  dry  ;  neither  sailors, 
nor  sails,  nor  oars.  No  explanation  of  this  singular  form  of 
readiness  being  forthcoming,  we  liad  to  swallow  our  choler 
after  the  customary  storming,  and  retire  till  midnight,  when 
the  tide  would  be  in  and  float  the  dhow.  On  rousing  up  as 
arranged,  we  were  informed  that  there  Avould  be  Jio  favour- 
able wind  till  3  a.m.,  and  so  turned  in  till  that  hour.  Again 
we  waked  up  with  the  intention  of  starting,  whereupon  it  was 
coolly  intimated  to  us  that  the  dhow  would  not  go  at  all. 


Abab  '*  Readiness."  13 

As  this  was  deady  an  attempt  to  extort  more  money,  I 
resolved  to  show  the  owner  that  no  tnie-hoam  Scotchman 
would  stand  that  kind  of  thing.  I  therefore  at  once  took  pos- 
session of  his  person,  and  hanled  him  up  before  the  WaK, 
who  promptly  put  him  in  chains.  In  my  irritation  at  the 
provoking  delay,  I  was  about  to  resume  my  tramp  by  land, 
when  another  Arab  appeared,  and  informcMi  me  that  for  a 
certain  sum  he  would  take  me  at  once,  as  his  dhow  was  quite 
ready.  After  the  lesson  I  had  given  the  other  man,  I  thoo^ii 
there  must  be  some  meaning  in  the  wrad  **  ready"  this  time, 
and  closed  with  the  offer.  Feeling  sore  that  we  were  all 
right  iM>w,  we  <mce  more  made  for  the  beach.  To  my  ptufuund 
dis);asty  I  found  tiiat  Uioagh  the  dhow  was  there  and  ready 
as  fu  as  sailon^  sails,  &&,  were  concerned,  yrt  the  entire 
cargo  had  to  be  unshipped  and  baDast  put  in  before  it  could 
leave  the  harbour. 

I  was  now  desperate,  and  executed  someUiing  like  a  war- 
dance,  which  fri^tened  the  Arab  out  of  his  wits.  I  would 
not  be  beat  i^ain  !  Taking  posBeBsian  of  the  vessel,  I  drew 
out  my  rev<dver  ostentatiously,  made  ibe  owner  sit  down,  and 
warned  the  crew  with  fearful  scowls  not  to  dare  to  leave  the 
beach.  I  then  set  every  man  to  work,  turned  out  the  cargo 
on  the  sands,  and  reloaded  with  ballast.  This  oecn]Med  us 
till  noon.  Then,  however,  it  was  found  that  the  wind  was 
blowing  too  hard  from  sea  to  allow  of  us  going  out.  Thoe 
was  nothing  for  it,  tiieref ore,  but  to  wait  till  ni^t,  keepmg 
watch  and  ward  over  sailors^  owner,  and  dhow.  In  spite  of 
hunger  and  a  broiling  sun,  we  did  this  most  effactuaUy,  and 
when  1  a.m.  arrived,  we  found  we  were  at  last  really  ready, 
with  everything  in  our  favour.  Putting  ibe  Arab  on  shove, 
we  slipped  our  anchor  and  stood  out  to  sea. 

I  have  now  at  one  time  ex  another  had  a  eonadenhfe 
amount  of  experience  in  dhow-sailing  ;  but  this  teip,  tiboi^h 
by  no  means  the  longest,  was  by  far  the  most  awful  in  its 
varied  combination  of  miseries.  I  am  by  no  means  fastidious ; 
I  have  not  a  very  delicate  sense  of  smell,  and  my  African 
experiences  have  not  made  me  over-aq[ueamish  ;  but  in  this 
case  I  must  camfess  neitiier  my  senses  nor  my  f edingB  were 
proof  against  tiie  experiences  ol  thrt  dhow  voyage.  Tm^^ine 
a  curiously-shaped  boat  capable  of  carrying  about  thirty  tons, 
partially  decked  aft,  high  in  the  st»n  and  low  in  the  bow, 
suggesting  to  the  nervous  mind  a  suicidal  tendency  in  the 
shape  of  a  determined  purpose  of  diving  beneafli  the  first 
advancing  wave.     A  saiigle  mast,  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  hig^ 


14  Through  Masai  Land. 

supports  an  unwieldy  lateen  sail  of  dimensions  enormous 
compared  with  the  size  of  the  craft,  and  held  by  rotten 
cocoa-nut  fibre  ropes  which  not  iinfrequently  startle  the  crew 
and  passengers — if  they  do  no  worse — by  breaking  and  letting 
their  whole  burden  crash  down  on  deck.  The  water  leaks  in 
at  innumerable  points,  continually  requiring  several  men  to 
bale  night  and  day.  Then,  from  stern  to  stem,  there  rises  a 
combination  of  abominable  smells  truly  sickening.  The 
rotting  wood,  with  its  coating  of  rancid  cocoa-nut  oil,  the 
accumulated  grease  and  filth  of  years,  the  bilge-water,  the 
contents  of  the  cargo,  and  the  effluvia  from  the  perspiring 
skins  of  the  crowded  negroes — all  contribute  their  quota 
to  an  effect  which  words  cannot  describe.  It  would  be 
well  if  only  the  sense  of  smell  was  outraged ;  but  unfortu- 
nately that  is  but  one  item  in  the  general  effect.  As  one 
becomes  acquainted  with  the  dhow,  and,  in  a  spirit  of-  resig- 
nation to  the  inevitable,  lies  down  to  court  oblivion  in  sleep, 
he  is  soon  made  aware  of  the  existence  of  a  certain  very  un- 
desirable class  of  habitues,  generally  found  wherever  dirt  and 
filth  prevail.  A  miracle  of  imperturbability  indeed  must  that 
man  be  whom  the  pertinacious  little  creatures  cannot  keep 
lively.  On  this  occasion  they  were  especially  vivacious, 
doubtless,  in  their  excitement  at  the  discovery  of  a  thin- 
skinned  subject — a  decided  and  pleasing  variety  from  the 
leathery  integument  of  the  negro.  Still  another  horror 
awaited  me  in  the  shape  of  rats.  These,  finding  me  "  cabined, 
cribbed,  confined,"  had  me  completely  at  their  mercy,  and 
certainly  they  made  a  very  objectionable  use  of  their  opportu- 
nities. 

Such  is  a  glimpse  of  my  first  night's  experience  on  board 
the  Tanga  dhow.  In  the  morning  we  found  we  had  made 
very  little  headway,  and  were  still  close  to  the  mouth  of  a 
creek,  with  the  wiud  light.  We  had  hoped  to  be  able  to 
keep  inside  the  reefs,  where  the  water  was  comparatively 
smooth,  but  it  soon  became  apparent  that,  if  we  intended  to 
get  on,  we  must  go  outside.  This  we  did,  and  not  till  then 
did  I  reach  the  depths  of  bodily  wretchedness.  The  roUing 
sea  produced  an  instant  collapse  in  sickness,  and  exposed  as 
I  was  in  my  helplessness  to  the  pitiless  blaze  of  the  tropical 
sun,  I  soon  felt  more  dead  than  alive.  1\\  the  evening  we 
were  still  oft'  Pemba,  I  cursing  my  luck  and  regretting  that  I 
had  ever  left  trrra  Jirma.  At  sunset  matters  became  some- 
what ominous.  The  wind  rose  with  considerable  violence, 
tlie  darkness    was    intense,  only  broken  now  and  then  by 


Running  the  Reefs.  15 

glaring  flashes  of  lightning.  Rain  began  to  faU,  and  in  the 
darkness  and  horrid  pitching  we  shipped  Avater  till  we 
threatened  to  swamp.  The  sails  had  to  be  reefed,  and  then 
we  had  literally  to  trust  all  to  Providence,  for,  having 
neither  compass  nor  lights,  we  knew  not  how  or  where  we 
were  going.  We  were,  however,  only  too  well  aware  that 
we  were  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  most  dangerous  coral 
reefs,  and  more  than  once  a  panic  got  up  as  a  distant  roll  of 
thunder  was  mistaken  for  the  sea  breaking  on  the  coral 
rock. 

After  a  night  of  such  profound  anxiety  it  was  with  no 
slight  pleasure  that  we  hailed  the  dawn.  We  fotind,  how- 
ever, that  we  had  got  no  further  than  Guasi,  and  that  the 
wind,  though  somewhat  lighter,  was  unfavourable.  Not 
liking  to  give  in,  we  tacked  about  all  forenoon  in  a  heavy 
sea,  horribly  sick. 

In  the  afternoon  the  wind  again  blew  hard,  and  the  sea 
became  more  and  more  threatening.  There  was  nothing  for 
it  but  to  put  about  and  at  all  hazards  run  the  reefs,  if  we 
did  not  want  to  be  swamped.  No  opening  was  known  to 
exist,  but  we  resolved  to  make  the  attempt  to  cross  some- 
where. Keeping  in  close  to  the  foaming  surf,  while  running 
before  the  wind,  we  at  last  made  out  a  very  slight,  though 
irregular,  gap  in  the  line  of  breakers.  Martin,  who  had 
been  at  the  helm  all  the  previous  night,  now  resumed  his 
post  with  set  teeth.  As  we  neared  the  line  of  white  foam, 
at  each  succeeding  wave  every  man  held  his  breath  and  stood 
as  if  transfixed,  staring  upon  the  thundering  waters.  At  last 
we  were  borne  headlong  in  among  the  reefs.  There  were  a 
few  wild  plunges,  a  fearful  roaring,  a  jar  and  quiver  which 
communicated  an  electric  shock  to  every  one.  We  had 
actually  grazed  the  rock  !  and  we  drew  a  long  breath  of  relief 
as  we  found  ourselves  safe  inside.  Martin  declared  to  me 
that  during  six  years,  in  which  he  had  monthly  traversed 
that  sea,  he  had  never  once  been  so  manifestly  ^n  the  brink 
of  disaster.     It  was  in  every  respect  a  hair-breadth  escape. 

What  was  now  to  be  done  1  was  the  new  problem. 
Though  comparatively  smooth,  the  sea  was  still  too  rough  to 
allow  us  to  ventiue  close  to  the  beach,  and  we  had  neither 
boat  nor  canoe.  I  had,  however,  made  up  mj'  mind  that, 
come  what  might,  I  would  not  venture  back  to  sea  in  that 
wretched  craft.  I  was  prepared,  as  I  heroically  suggested  to 
myself,  to  face  the  proverbial  lion  in  its  den,  and  do  deeds  of 
daring  iu  the  face  of  hostile  savages,  but  I  could  see  no 


16  Through  Masai  Land. 

romance  in  encountering  a  storm  in  my  state  of  physical 
collapse,  with  that  horrible  stench  pervading  the  atmosphere. 
To  shore  I  must  get  somehow.  If  swimming  had  been  one 
of  my  accomplishments,  I  should  have  made  no  ado  about 
plunging  into  the  sea  and  standing  my  chance  of  reaching 
terra  firma,  but  unfortunately  I  was  not  gifted  with  that  very 
useful  attainment. 

At  last,  however,  we  sighted  a  fishing  canoe  away  in  the 
distance,  and  my  man  Brahim  at  once  swam  ashore  with 
herculean  strokes,  and  went  along  the  beach  to  bring  it. 

The  canoe,  on  arrival,  was  anything  but  promising.  In 
shape  it  was  not  unlike  a  dog's  hind  leg ;  it  leaked  dreadfully, 
and,  bale  as  we  might,  it  kept  half  full  of  water.  But  I  was 
desperate,  and  ready  to  clutch  at  a  straw,  like  any  drowning 
man.  In  I  tumbled,  thereafter  seating  myself,  with  much 
satisfaction,  waist-deep  in  water.  After  undecidedly  wobbling 
about,  in  a  very  fearful  manner,  we  did  begin  to  near  the 
shore,  which  was  extremely  steep,  with  the  sea  breaking 
heavily.  There  was  a  rise  on  the  crest  of  an  advancing  wave, 
then  a  bump.  I  sprang  out  as  the  canoe  disappeared  under 
water,  but  was  immediately  swept  down  by  the  retreating 
wave.  "Vainly  I  spluttered  and  struggled,  and  I  was  just  on 
the  point  of  being  carried  helplessly  seawards  when  my  ever- 
ready  and  faithful  Brahim,  hastening  to  the  rescue,  delivered 
me  from  a  watery  grave,  limp  and  bedraggled,  but  devoutly 
thankful  that  I  had  escaped  from  the  indescribable  discom- 
forts of  the  dhow.  Feeling  assured  that  in  this  Avild  spot 
there  would  be  neither  nymph  nor  native  to  disturb  me  in 
the  most  primitive  of  costumes,  I  speedily  had  my  clothes  on 
the  bushes,  while  I  disported  myself  in  the  clear  waters  of  a 
sheltered  cove,  and  then  rested  under  the  grateful  shade  of  a 
tree,  thoroughly  enjoying  the  feeling  of  being  on  firm  ground 
once  more. 

The  lengthening  shadows  soon  warned  me  that  dreams  of 
Arcadia  would  not  do  in  that  wild  spot.  Donning  my  well- 
aired  garments,  therefore,  I  proceeded,  in  the  manner  of  the 
shipwrecked  mariner,  to  seek  for  food  and  shelter.  We  did 
not  wander  far  before  we  espied  a  cocoa-nut  grove.  This 
was  a  promising  sign  of  inhabitants,  and  on  further  inspec- 
tion we  were  not  disappointed.  We  found  some  Wa-digo, 
who  soon  with  hospitable  intent  were  pulling  down  the  half- 
ripe  cocoa-nuts.  While  from  these  we  drank  the  refreshing 
vegetable  milk,  eggs  were  boiled,  and  a  plump  chicken 
sputtered  over  the  fire.     There,  in  the  gathering  darkness, 


History  of  Mombasa.  17 

we  sat  thoroughly  enjoying  the  quaint  and  savage  scene,  and 
the  piquancy  of  our  position.  The  inner  man  once  thoroughly 
satisfied,  we  made  our  grass  beds  under  the  eaves  of  the  huts, 
and  soothed  by  the  sighing  palm-trees  overhead,  the  myriad 
voices  of  the  crickets  around  us,  and  the  roar  of  the  breakers 
in  the  distance,  we  soon  fell  asleep,  to  dream  of  seas  under 
a  halcyon  spell,  untroubled  by  nightmares  of  dhows  and  their 
contents. 

Xext  morning  we  got  o£f  in  the  early  hours,  after  duly 
rewarding  our  simple  hosts,  and  stepped  out  merrily  through 
an  almost  uninhabited  region,  till  we  neared  the  southern 
branch  of  the  creek  which  surrounds  the  island  and  far- 
famed  town  of  ifombasa.  And  here,  while  we  wait  for  the 
canoe  to  ferry  us  over  to  the  other  side,  we  may  say  a  few 
words  about  the  history  of  the  place. 

Mombasa,  or,  as  it  is  called  by  the  Wa-swahili,  Mvita,  has 
had  a  marvellously  tirrbulent  and  lively  history.  "We  hear 
of  it  as  far  back  as  1331,  when,  as  described  by  an  Arab 
writer,  it  was  a  place  of  importance,  fruitful  and  flourishing. 
Somewhat  more  than  two  centuries  later  Vasco  di  Gama,  in 
that  ever-memorable  voyage  in  which  he  rounded  the  Cape 
and  found  India,  had  a  very  narrow  escape  of  being  ship- 
wrecked on  the  bar  outside  the  harbour,  his  pilot  having 
played  him  false.  In  a  few  happy  and  graphic  lines  Camoens, 
in  the  "  Lusiad,"  describes  the  geography  of  the  island,  and 
tells  how  on  the  "  sea-board  frontage "  were  to  be  seen 
"  noble  edifices  fairly  planned."  In  those  there  was  suffi- 
cient to  attract  the  cupidity  of  the  Portuguese  buccaneers  of 
those  days,  who  captured  it  in  1500  a.d.  It  did  not,  however, 
remain  long  in  their  hands,  for  it  had  again  to  be  seized  five 
years  later,  only  to  be  once  more  retaken  by  the  natives. 
In  1529  it  fell  for  the  third  time  into  the  hands  of  the 
Europeans,  from  whom  it  passed  in  1586  under  the  rule  of 
the  Sultan  of  Stamboul.  This  was  promptly  revenged  and 
reversed  by  the  Portuguese.  The  town  was  regained,  how- 
ever, only  to  fall  a  prey  to  a  savage  horde  who  hailed  from 
the  south  and  called  themselves  Zimbas.  For  the  fifth  time 
in  its  history  the  Portuguese  entered  into  possession,  and  in 
1594,  the  fort,  which  still  stands,  was  built.  Thirty-six 
years  later  Mombasa  became  independent,  only  to  fall  under 
European  rule  after  a  brave  and  desperate  resistance.  The 
Portuguese  supremacy  was,  however,  soon  to  end.  In  1660 
the  Imam  of  Oman,  after  a  five  years'  investment,  succeeded 
in  getting  possession  of  the  fort,  though  it  was  not  till  1698 


18  Through  Masai  Land. 

that  his  son  finally  drove  the  Portuguese  from  the  town, 
where  he  established  an  Arab  governor. 

Up  till  1822  the  town  enjoyed  a  semi-independence,  being 
ruled  by  princes  of  the  noble  Mazrui  clan.  It  was  then 
threatened  by  Sayyid  Said,  ruler  of  Muskat  and  Zanzibar. 
To  escape  falling  under  his  rule,  the  inhabitants  placed 
themselves  under  British  protection,  the  flag  being  hoisted 
by  Captain  Vidal,  R.N.  His  action,  however,  Avas  not 
countenanced  by  the  proper  authorities,  and  the  protection 
was  withdrawn.  In  five  years  four  unsuccessful  attempts 
were  made  by  Sayyid  Said,  and  finally  by  treachery  he  gained 
his  point. 

The  island  of  Mombasa  is  formed  by  the  division  of  the 
picturesque  creek  AA'hich  here  runs  deep  into  the  land  ter- 
minating at  the  base  of  the  Rabai  Hills.  •  It  is  in  the  form 
of  an  irregular  oval,  the  greater  part  of  which  is  a  dense  bush, 
very  little  being  cultivated  except  in  the  outskirts  of  the 
town.  There  is  little  of  the  picturesque  or  attractive  in  the 
scene,  a  few  cocoa-nuts,  mangoes,  and  baobabs  being  the  only 
conspicuous  arboreal  forms. 

The  town,  as  in  the  days  of  Vasco  di  Gama,  is  still  to  be 
seen  on  the  "  sea-board  frontage,"  though  the  traveller  Avill 
look  in  vain  for  the  "  noble  edifices  fairly  planned  "  which 
aroused  the  admiration  of  Camoens.  Except  the  fort  and 
some  wells,  there  is  little  left  to  recall  the  Portuguese 
occupation.  Everywhere  ruins  of  houses  and  mosques  tell 
the  tale  of  decayed  grandeur,  of  the  loss  of  former  spirit, 
energy,  and  enterprise.  Mud  huts  are  replacing  the  well- 
built  dwellings  of  the  Mazrui  period.  The  Arabs  are  leaving 
the  town  as  rats  leave  a  sinking  ship,  and  a  general  want  of 
life  characterizes  the  aspect  of  this  ancient  and  interesting 
city. 

The  northern  branch  of  the  Mombasa  creek  forms  a 
splendid  harbour,  which  is  protected  from  the  swell  of  the 
north-east  monsoon  by  the  coral-line  bar  on  which  Vasco  di 
Gama  was  so  nearly  lost.  This  barrier,  however,  makes 
the  passage  of  outward-bound  vessels  one  of  considerable  diffi- 
culty when  the  wind  is  not  favourable. 

Such,  then,  was  Mombasa,  when  I  found  myself,  on  tlie 
8th  of  February,  crossing  the  southern  branch  of  its  creek. 
We  traversed  the  island,  threaded  with  necessary  care  the 
extraordinary  labyrinth  which  did  duty  as  streets,  and  finally 
arrived,  fortunately  with  uncrackcd  skulls,  at  the  baraza  of 
the  Liwali.     He  was  a  Wahabbee  of  the  strictest  school,  and 


Visit  to  the  Liwali. 


19 


had  proved  a  thorn  in  the  flesh  to  the  missionaries  at  Frere 
Town,  who  on  their  part,  it  must  be  confessed,  have  neither 
attempted  to  conciliate  the  Arab  element,  nor  shown  much 
tact  in  warding  off  animosity. 

On  my  arrival  we  were  informed  that  His  Excellency  was 
asleep,  and  could  not  be  disturbed.  This  excuse  I  could  not 
listen  to,  and  ordered  the  servants  to  inform  him  immediately 
of  our  arrival  with  letters  from  the  Sultan,  which  would 
shortly  arrive  by  dhow.     This  bad  the  desired  eflfect,  and 


NATIVE   CHBISTIAKS'    HOTTSB. 

presently  we  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  Liwali  appear, 
beaming  with  smiles,  effusive  in  his  offers  of  hospitality,  and 
paternal  in  his  greetings.  He  led  me  by  the  hand  to  a  seat, 
and  overwhelmed  me  with  inquiries  about  my  health,  &c., 
as  if  he  had  known  me  most  intimately  for  years.  While  we 
sipped  our  sherbet  and  cofi'ee  (the  indispensable  accompani- 
ments of  all  such  meetings)  I  apprised  him  of  the  object  of 
my  visit.  He  duly  desired  me  to  consider  him  at  my  service 
in  everything ;  I  had  but  to  speak,  and  it  would  be  done  ! 
c  2 


20  Through  Masai  Land. 

With  appropriate  answers  to  these  pleasing  "  white  lies  "  the 
interview  was  finished. 

I  now  proceeded  to  the  creek,  for  the  purpose  of  visiting 
the  missionaries  at  Frere  Town.  The  view  of  this  station 
across  the  apparently  land-locked  creek  was  most  inviting. 
On  the  left,  from  a  dense  grove  of  magnificent  mangoes,  could 
be  seen  a  snow-white  house  with  iron  roofing,  Avell  set  off  by 
the  dense  shade  around.  Further  to  the  right  lay  another 
white  house  with  flat  roof,  situated  among  more  airy  trees 
and  waving  palms.  Several  edifices  of  smaller  size  gave  the 
idea  of  a  charming  European  settlement,  and  suggested  the 
mental  ejaculation  that,  however  dark  and  dreary  might  be 
the  moral  and  religious  outlook,  temporally  the  lines  of  the 
missionaries  had  fallen  in  pleasant  places. 

The  boat  of  the  governor  was  at  my  service,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  I  was  landed  in  this  settlement  of  freed  slaves,  who 
soon  were  swarming  down  to  the  beach  to  see  and  welcome 
me.  They  looked  marvellously  comical,  especially  the  ladies, 
in  their  European  dresses.  Amidst  a  storm  of  varied  saluta- 
tions,— "  Good  morning,"  "  Good  evening,"  "  Yambo," 
"Sabalkheir," — I  did  the  amiable  as  much  as  possible,  shaking 
hands  and  making  the  customary  inquiries.  After  a  brief 
visit  to  the  house  of  Mr.  H.  W.  Lane,  the  Lay  Superinten- 
dent of  the  Mission,  I  returned  under  the  care  of  the  Rev. 
W.  E.  Taylor,  who,  in  a  characteristic  fashion,  performed 
the  varied  duties  of  doctor  and  school  superintendent.  For 
convenience  in  acquiring  thoroughly  the  Swahili  and  Arab 
languages,  this  missionary  has  cut  himself  adrift  from  the 
settlement,  and  lives  separately  in  the  town,  where  he  has 
nightly  levees  with  the  Arabs  and  Wa-swahili,  and  has 
deservedly  become  popular.  His  house  is  interesting  in 
many  respects.  At  the  landing-place  there  is  an  old 
Portuguese  well  with  an  inscription.  Beside  it  a  door  leads 
into  a  staircase  arched  over  to  form  a  sort  of  tunnel.  This 
was  built  in  the  days  of  the  brief  British  occupation  of  the 
town  when  the  house  above  was  used  as  a  government 
residence.  It  was  then  occupied  for  some  time  by  Dr.  Krapf , 
on  his  first  arrival  at  Mombasa,  and  up  till  the  time  of  which 
I  write  remained  in  the  hands  of  the  missionaries.  Though 
it  is  somewhat  out  of  place,  I  may  mention  the  latest  change 
in  o^^^lership.  Once  more  the  English  flag  waves  over  it,  for 
now  it  is  occupied  by  Captain  Gissing,  H.B.M.  Consul  to 
Mombasa.  It  may  be  noted  further  that  Captains  Burton 
and  Speke,  on  their  short  trip  along  the  coast,  lived  In  this 


A  SUNSHINY  Missionary.  21 

house  for  several  days,  so  that  in  many  ways  it  bids  fair  to 
become  an  historical  building. 

In  the  evening  the  Liwali  called,  and  seemed  to  be 
supremely  anxious  that  I  should  spend  at  least  one  day  with 
him,  but  I  was  compelled  to  decline  his  hospitality. 

On  the  following  morning  I  proceeded  in  the  Li  wall's  boat 
to  Jomvu,  the  station  over  which  the  Rev,  T.  "Wakefield 
presided.  Our  way  led  us  round  the  little  point  on  which 
Frere  Town  is  situated,  through  a  narrow  but  picturesque 
winding  passage,  into  the  more  open  stretch  to  the  west  of 
the  island,  thence  through  a  dreary  waste  of  mangroves. 
After  a  series  of  windings,  we  reached  the  base  of  the 
Eabai  hills,  where  Jomvu  is  situated.  Looking  around  the 
drear  expanse  of  mangrove  swamp,  I  concluded  that  here  at 
least  was  one  whose  lines  had  not  fallen  in  pleasant  places, 
for  a  district  more  suggestive  of  fevers  and  all  things  evil 
could  not  be  conceived. 

I  prepared  myself  to  find  in  Wakefield  a  man  weakened 
and  wear}',  looking  forwartl  to  the  exploration  of  a  better 
land  as  a  happy  change  from  the  ills  that  flesh  was  doubtless 
heir  to  in  this  wretched  country.  Putting  on  my  most 
lugubrious  expression  as  the  most  suitable  for  the  occasion, 
I  proceeded  to  the  mission  house  to  greet  with  due  solemnity 
the  mission  patriarch  of  East  Africa ;  for  be  it  known  tliat 
Mr.  "Wakefield  has  lived  almost  entirely  about  Mombasa 
since  1862,  when  he  was  despatched  by  the  United  Methodist 
Free  Churches  to  this  mission  field. 

Before  reaching  the  house  I  was  startled  by  the  sounds  of 
hearty  laughter.  On  entering  the  building  and  announcing 
myself,  my  hand  was  seized  with  no  weak  grasp,  and  my 
philosophy  upset  by  a  cheery  welcome  which  told  of  good 
lungs.  I  looked  in  vain  for  the  yellow  integument  and 
irritable  temper  which  might  suggest  "  liver,"  the  wasted 
visage  and  careworn  aspect  which  might  speak  of  weakening 
fevers.  "With  pleasure  I  found  a  lively  companion,  boiling 
over  with  good  spirits,  full  of  hearty  laughter,  puns,  and 
genial  stories — in  fact,  the  very  prince  of  African  good 
fellows.  In  that  very  temperament,  I  doubt  not,  lay  the 
secret  of  his  success  in  battling  with  the  e\i\  genius  of  Africa. 
Drive  away  care  with  a  meiTV  heart  and  a  sunny  disposition ; 
see  something  joUy  in  everything,  like  Mark  Tapley,  and  you 
may  to  a  large  extent  drive  away  disease.  Mr.  Wakefield, 
though  not  as  yet  especially  successful  in  the  gathering  to- 
gether  of  converts,   has  nevertheless  perfoimed  labours  of 


22  Theough  Masai  Land. 

great  value,  and  holds  deservedly  the  first  rank  of  the  workers 
in  that  mission  field.  Would  that  there  were  more  like 
him  !  After  a  pleasant  day  spent  in  the  company  of  his 
amiable  wife  and  himself,  I  returned  to  Mombasa,  encou- 
raged in  my  projects. 

Next  day  a  dhow  was  to  have  left  for  Zanzibar,  but  of 
course  didn't.  I  employed  the  day,  however,  very  profitably, 
making  inquiries  among  the  merchants  and  up-country 
traders,  though  their  report  of  things  in  general  was  by  no 
means  rosy.  I  visited,  on  the  way  to  Frere  Town,  the  old 
Arab  graveyard,  where  are  to  be  seen  many  interesting 
monuments  of  the  Maznxi  period.  On  my  return  to  Mom- 
basa, I  got  permission  from  the  Liwali  to  visit  the  fort,  which 
proved  to  be  very  interesting.  On  the  following  morning, 
after  being  loaded  with  numerous  presents  of  food  from  the 
Liwali,  I  went  on  board  a  dhow  and  set  sail.  "We  had  all 
our  former  experience  of  smells,  but  were  so  fortunate  as  to 
have  a  calm  sea  and  a  fair  wind,  which  brought  us  into 
Zanzibar  within  the  twenty-four  hours.  We  had  been  alto- 
gether away  only  eleven  days. 

The  conclusions  I  arrived  at  as  the  result  of  my  investiga- 
tions were  these  : — 

(1.)  That  Mombasa,  in  the  circumstances,  was  the  most  suit- 
able and  desirable  point  of  departure,  more  especially  as  I 
would  have  the  valuable  assistance  of  the  missionaries  in 
making  a  start. 

(2.)  That  while  the  coast  jDorters  were  in  some  respects  by 
far  to  be  preferred,  yet,  on  the  whole,  it  would  be  safer  to 
make  up  my  caravan  mainly  of  Zanzibar  men.  The  Zanzi- 
baris  were  poorer  porters  ;  they  were  accustomed  to  tribes  in 
no  resjiect  similar  to  the  Masai,  of  whose  language  they  knew 
less  than  I  did  ;  but  it  was  not  to  be  overlooked  that  they  were 
acquainted  Avitli  European  ways,  ready  to  form  a  bargain 
l^romptly  and  to  start  at  a  day's  notice.  Moreover,  what  was 
equally  important,  I  had  acquired  a  thorough  knowledge  of 
their  peculiarities,  and  knew  in  consequence  how  to  make  the 
most  of  them. 

(3.)  That  there  was  no  time  to  be  lost  if  I  wanted  to  escape 
the  wet  season  on  the  coast,  of  which  I  had  more  than  enough 
in  the  Nyassa  Expedition  in  1879. 

(4.)  My  investigations  made  one  other  thing  very  clear, 
and  that  was,  that  taking  as  many  men  as  my  funds  would 
permit,  I  would  still  be  sadly  weak  in  point  of  numbers  for 
the    extremely  dangerous  country  I  had  to  traverse.     The 


Final  Prepaeations.  23 

gravity  and  risk  of  my  undertaking  I  was  beginning  vincom- 
fortably  to  realize,  and  everything  seemed  to  point  to  the 
conchision  that  each  man  must  be  armed  witli  a  gun  or  rifle, 
if  Ave  were  to  hare  hope  of  even  getting  over  the  thres- 
hold. 

Having  formulated  these  ideas  to  myself,  I  lost  no  time  in 
carrying  them  into  effect — an  easy  matter  with  my  previous 
experience.  Two  days  after  my  return  to  Zanzibar,  I  had  aU 
my  goods  and  stores  bought.  Three  days  later  saw  these 
made  up  into  the  customary  loads — the  iron,  brass,  and  cop- 
per wire  coiled  and  cut  into  the  required  size  and  weight, 
the  beads  put  iato  canvas  bags,  and  the  cloth  into  long 
cylindrical  bales, — the  whole  being  covered  with  mats. 

The  next  business  was  to  enlist  men  for  the  journey.  In 
regard  to  this  important  matter,  however,  I  had  faUen  on  evil 
days.  The  African  ^Association  on  the  Congo  had  drained 
off  the  very  best  porters  in  the  town-  Several  large  caravans, 
missionary  and  otherwise,  had  just  left  for  the  interior,  so 
that  there  was  hardly  a  good  porter  to  be  had.  Then  the 
very  idea  of  going  to  the  dreaded  Masai  country  was 
sufficient  to  take  their  breath  away.  By  not  a  few  it  was 
treated  as  rather  too  mucli  of  a  joke  to  be  seriously  enter- 
tained. To  cap  the  situation,  two  large  caravans  were  about 
to  be  organized  for  the  interior,  one  for  Victoria  Xyanza,  and 
another  for  Karema.  The  look-out  was  not  encouraging,  but 
I  was  determined  not  to  be  beat.  Kot  a  man  having  pre- 
sented himself,  I  offered  as  an  inducement  a  dollar  a  month 
extm  for  those  who  gave  satisfaction  by  their  behaviour. 
This  brought  a  few  men  to  my  standard  ;  but  little  progress 
was  made  till  it  became  noised  abroad  that  I  was  prepared 
to  receive  whoever  offered,  no  questions  asked  or  certificates 
required — medical  or  otherwise.  Then,  and  only  then,  a 
flood  of  vagalx)ndage  let  itself  loose  upon  me — the  blind  and 
the  lame,  the  very  refuse  of  Zanzibar  rascaldom,  beach-com- 
bers, tliieves,  murderers,  runaway  slaves,  most  of  them  hte- 
rally  rotten  with  a  life  of  debauchery.  There  was  nothing 
for  it  but  to  take  what  offered.  I  must  have  men,  or  the 
semblance  of  men,  and  I  got  them.  I  felt  mightily  ashamed 
of  the  lot,  though  I  vowed  within  my  inmost  soul  that  I 
would  bring  them  back  to  Zanzibar  better  men,  morally  and 
physically,  than  they  left  it,  if  ever  I  should  be  able  to  get 
them  fairly  into  the  coimtry.  I  required  no  prophetic  inspira- 
tion to  foresee  that  the  dangers  of  a  most  hazardous  expedition 
would  be  heightened  tenfold  with  such  a  villainous  crew. 


24 


Through  Masai  Land. 


I  shall  not  weary  the  reader  by  enlarging  on  the  endless 
annoyances  I  had  in  getting  these  men  together  and  organiz- 
ing generally.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  by  the  hearty  co- 
operation of  Martin  and  my  head-men,  in  less  than  a  fortnight 
I  had  got  my  goods  and  stores  ready,  110  men  collected, 
three  Muscat  donkeys  bought  for  ambulance  purposes,  a  dhow 
engaged,  and  the  innumerable  other  small  but  necessary  items 
thoroughly  considered. 

On  the  2nd  of  March,  exactly  five  weeks  from  the  date  of 


JAMES   MAETIN. 


my  landing  at  Zanzibar,  I  had  the  unspeakable  satisfaction  of 
seeing  the  Victoria  Nyanza  and  Mount  Kenia  Expedition, 
minus  myself,  clearing  out  of  the  harbour  with  a  spanking 
breeze,  under  the  charge  of  Martin.  I  remained  behind  to 
try  to  pick  up  a  few  of  my  cut-throats  who  had  failed  to 
appear,  and  also  to  see  if  an  attempt  of  mine  to  get  a  few 
coast  porters  would  bear  any  fruit.  I  succeeded  in  neither 
object,  and  three  days  after  ^Martin  left  I  made  my  final 
preparations  for  leaving  the  Zanzibar  isle. 


"Awfully  Jolly."  25 


CHAPTER  II. 

TO    TAVETA. 

Ox  the  6th  of  March,  having  failed  either  to  secure  any  of 
my  runaways  or  to  get  porters  from  the  coast  to  leaven  the 
mass  of  viUarny  which  formed  my  caravan,  I  found  myself 
ready  to  start.  Captain  Luxmoore,  of  the  London,  kindly, 
at  the  instance  of  Colonel  Miles,  lent  us  H.B.M.'s  steam 
tug  (or  tub)  N^o.  11,  otherwise  known  as  the  Suez,  to  con- 
vey us  to  Mombasa.  Colonel  Miles  himself,  who  had  from 
the  first  cordially  used  all  his  influence  in  furthering  the 
scheme  of  the  Society,  resolved  personally  to  brave  the 
monsoon  and  the  terrible  seas,  to  make  sure  that  everything 
was  smoothed  over  for  my  departure. 

As  I  took  farewell  of  my  kindly  hostess  and  stepped  down 
to  the  beach,  I  was  reminded  in  rather  a  quaint  fashion  of  the 
good- will  of  those  I  left  behind,  by  finding  sundry  old  shoes 
following  up  my  retreating  footsteps — an  observance  of  a 
queer  old-world  custom  which  I  was  scarcely  prepared  to 
expect  amid  such  purely  Oriental  surroundings,  serving,  if  it 
did  nothing  else,  to  lighten  the  dolorousness  incidental  to  a 
farewell. 

In  the  previous  chapter  I  have  had  occasion  to  revile  in 
no  measured  terms  the  African  dhow  as  the  very  embodiment 
of  all  that  is  vile  and  uncomfortable.  I  hardly  thought  that 
I  should  ever  be  tempted  to  compare  it  favourably  with 
H.M.  steam  tug  Xo.  11.  Certainly  this  item  of  our  boasted 
navy  did  not  behave  in  a  pleasing  manner,  even  though 
carrying  the  august  person  of  the  Consul- General  and 
Political  Agent  for  East  Africa,  who,  it  may  be  remarked,  was 
anything  but  a  digni6ed  spectacle  before  we  reached  the  end 
of  our  voyage.  We  had  it  so  rough,  and  the  tug  was  so  small 
and  had  such  powerful  engines,  that  we  were  simply  forced 
through  each  succeeding  wave.  Almost  every  man  on  board, 
including  the  officer  in  charge  and  several  seamen,  was  sick 
with  the  horrible  motion.  I  of  course,  in  my  customary 
Mark  Tapley  manner,  tried  my  best  to  think  it  "  awfully 
joUy  "  in  the  inten^als  of  hanging  over  the  rails  or  emerging 
from  the  waves  which  ever  and  anon  broke  over  the  boat.  I 
tried  further  to  find  comfort  in  the  thought  of  a  thoroughly 
expurgated  inner  man  and  a  liver  put  into  the  very  be^t  of 
order ;  but  such  philosophical  considerations  did  not  lessen 
my   keen  desire   to   reach   Mombasa,      Colonel  ililes,  less 


26  Theough  Masai  Land. 

accustomed  to  the  open  air  than  I  was,  had  the  skin  literally 
blistered  off  his  face,  and  looked  a  woful  sight  as  he  sat, 
drenched  and  sick,  facing  the  storm  throughout  the  weary- 
night.  As  for  myself,  I  had  not  the  gift  of  seeing  myself  as 
others  saw  me,  so  I  won't  draw  on  my  imagination. 

Our  troubles,  however,  only  lasted  some  twenty-four  hours, 
so  that  on  the  7th  we  entered  the  harbour  of  Mombasa.  We 
were  at  once  received  with  the  well-known  hospitality  of  Mr. 
Lane,  who  had  by  this  time  recovered  from  the  excitement  in 
which  I  had  found  him  on  the  previous  occasion.  I  was  at 
once  installed  in  his  house,  and  without  loss  of  time,  having 
seen  that  Martin  and  the  men  were  all  right,  I  set  about 
enlisting  some  more  porters  from  the  Mission  to  make  up  my 
full  complement.  In  this  I  was  accorded  every  assistance  by 
Messrs.  Lane  and  Taylor.  The  Kev.  Mr.  Binns,  who  on  my 
previous  visit  had  heen  up  at  J^dara,  in  Teita,  forming  a 
mission  station,  had  now  returned,  and  he  was  in  a  position 
to  give  me  some  valuable  information  about  the  state  of  the 
road  so  far. 

Through  the  good  offices  of  Mr.  Wakefield  I  secured  the 
services  of  a  guide  and  interpreter — the  most  important 
official  in  the  expedition — named  Muhinna.  This  gentleman 
had  been  an  ivory-trader  up  country,  and  had  penetrated 
the  Masai  district  between  twenty  and  thirty  times.  He  was 
thorouglily  conversant  with  all  the  routes,  and  could  speak 
the  language  fluently,  besides  several  other  dialects,  notably 
that  of  U-kambani,  with  which  he  had  a  very  thorough 
acquaintance.  Li  these  important  qualifications  there  was 
probably  not  a  man  in  Mombasa  better  suited  for  the  post. 
Moreover,  he  was  reputed  to  be  one  of  the  most  trustworthy 
of  men.  How  he  fulfilled  his  duties  will  appear  in  due 
course.  Without  some  such  man  it  would  have  been  im- 
possible to  have  gone  six  marches  from  the  coast,  so  iitterly 
unacquainted  were  my  men  with  this  tract  of  country,  and  so 
different  were  the  manners  and  customs  from  those  prevalent 
further  south.  I  had  therefore,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  much 
reason  for  self-congratulation. 

Three  days  after  my  arrival  I  despatched  all  my  men  and 
goods  to  the  head  of  the  creek,  the  former  by  land,  the 
latter  in  the  mission  boats.  After  seeing  the  last  article  off, 
I  was  accompanied  down  to  the  beach  by  Colonel  Miles, 
Lieutenant  Target  of  the  Suez,  and  the  missionaries.  There 
was  a  warm  grasping  of  hands;  many  good  wishes  were 
expressed  and  farewells  said.     As  I  stepped  into  Mr.  Wake- 


FiEST  Start  from  Mombasa. 


27 


field's  boat  a  cheer  was  given,  which  was  taken  up  by  the 
sailors  on  board  the  tug  as  we  went  sailing  by  before  a  good 
breeze.  In  rounding  the  comer  a  final  wave  of  the  hat  was 
given,  and  thus,  with  my  followers  "  sitting  well  in  order,"  I 
made  my  first  start  from  Mombasa  "  to  seek  a  newer  world." 
On  arrival  at  the  landing-place  I  saw  that  everything  was 
put  in  ship-shape  order,  and  then  went  back  to  Jomvu  to 
spend  the  night. 

Next  day  being  Sunday,  we  did  not  move.     I  employed 


WA-NIIKA  VILLA6S. 

the  day  in  a  pleasant  walk  up  to  Rabai  Mission.  The  way 
led  up  the  steep  face  of  the  Eabai  hills  by  a  broad  path  which 
has  been  formed  by  the  missionaries,  and  which  shows  very 
good  sections  of  the  rock  underneath.  At  the  base  of  the 
hills  the  rock  is  argillaceous  shale,  with  numerous  ironstone 
nodules  exfoliating  in  concentric  layers.  From  the  shales  we 
pass  into  a  very  dark-bluish  limestone,  impure  though  com- 
pact, in  the  weathered  face  of  which  were  to  be  seen  in  relief 


28  Theough  Masai  Land. 

many  marine  fossils.  Sandstones  succeed  the  limestones  as  we 
ascend  the  hills,  and  these  become  coarser  and  coarser  towards 
the  top  of  the  section. 

From  the  top  of  the  range  is  seen  a  charmingly  irregular 
landscape,  clothed  with  waving  clumps  of  cocoa-nuts,  dark, 
green  masses  of  bush,  lighter-coloured  grassy  glades,  and 
everywhere  signs  of  cultivation,  with  the  mission  village  and 
buildings  peeping  out  from  among  mangoes.  We  had  a 
magnificent  view  of  the  distant  Duruma  hills  to  the  west, 
and  eastward  lay  below  the  many-branched  silvery  creek, 
penetrating  the  dense  mangrove  swamps  and  marking  out  the 
isle  of  Mombasa.  To  the  north  were  the  three  hills  which  form 
the  "  crown  of  Mombasa,"  and  away  beyond  stretched  the 
sea,  on  which  could  be  detected  by  a  streak  of  white  the  line 
of  breakers,  the  dull  roar  of  which  could  be  distinctly  heard 
from  our  point  of  vantage. 

Having  thus  enjoyed  the  view  while  I  recovered  my 
breath,  I  continued  my  way  to  the  mission  premises.  I 
arrived  while  service  was  being  conducted  by  Mr.  Jones,  the 
native  teacher.  ISot  to  disturb  the  meeting,  I  stepped  in 
behind  the  gathering,  and  was  greatly  struck  by  the  appear- 
ance of  the  well-filled  church,  the  strict  attention  of  the 
audience  (who  were  all  dressed  in^the  height  of  Rabai  fashion), 
and  the  fluency  of  the  preacher.  The  singing,  led  by  the 
latter  and  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Shaw  on  the  harmonium,  was 
pleasing  and  hearty,  as  negro-singing  usually  is.  The  service 
over,  I  was  hospitably  greeted  by  Mrs.  ShaAv  and  conducted 
to  their  house,  which  was  originally  built  and  occupied  by 
Rebmann.  It  is  now  a  most  charming  little  cottage,  covered 
with  creepers,  and  commands  a  capital  view  through  a  glen 
cut  in  the  hills. 

Next  day  I  found  it  necessary  to  return  to  Mombasa,  as 
!Muhinna  had  begun  to  be  troublesome,  and  to  show  the  cus- 
tomary Swahili  traits.  My  reappearance  at  Frere  Town 
quite  spoiled  the  eftect  of  my  late  impressive  farewell. 
After  nearly  frightening  Muhinna  out  of  his  wits,  I  got 
matters  again  put  right,  and  on  the  following  day  men  and 
goods  were  safely  landed  at  liabai,  which  we  looked  upon  as 
the  real  starting-place.  Another  day  was  spent  here,  putting 
our  afiairs  into  thorough  Avorking  order,  and  enlisting  a  few 
more  men  from  Jomvu  and  Rabai. 

Some  pleasant  walks  introduced  me  to  the  Wa-nyika, 
who  are  the  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country,  though 
around  Rabai  they  are  too  much  altered  by  contact  with  the 


The  Wa-ntika. 


29 


missionaries  to  be  genuine  specimens  of  the  tribe.  Their 
houses  are  different  from  any  other  tribe  I  have  yet  met,  being 
oblong  and  like  a  small  hay-stack  in  shape,  having  no  walls, 
and  with  the  usual  diminutive  door  at  the  end.  The  people 
themselves  are  not  by  any  means  stalwart  or  muscular.  On 
the  contrary,  they  are  spare  and  weather-beaten,  as  though 
they  had  a  hard  fight  with  man  and  nature  to  get  a  liveli- 
hood. The  dress  of  the  men  is  a  simple  loin-cloth.  Their 
principal  offensive  and  defensive  weapons  are  the  bow  and 


BABAI  XISSIOX  H01T8K. 

arrow,  and  the  aime  or  sword,  which  in  this  particular  region 
is  spatulate  in  shape,  being  broadest  near  the  top,  and  shad- 
ing gradually  down  to  the  handle.  The  women  wear  a 
garment  strikingly  suggestive  of  a  highland  kilt,  and  for 
ornament  a  kind  of  stockings  formed  entirely  of  beads,  worn 
closely  fitted  to  the  legs,  and  a  number  of  loose  strings  round 
the  neck,  besides  more  beads  round  the  arms.  As  I  had 
almost  no  personal  acquaintance  with  the  Wa-nyika,  I  will 
not  attempt  to  describe  them  further ;  but  if  any  reader  is 


30  Through   Masai   Land. 

curious  about  this  somewhat  uninteresting  tribe,  I  may  refer 
him  to  the  works  of  Krapf  and  New,  who  spent  years  among 
them,  and  therefore  speak  with  the  voice  of  authority. 

The  day  having  at  length  arrived  in  which  we  are  to  bid 
adieu  to  civilization  and  pass  into  the  savage  wastes  beyond, 
let  us,  on  the  eve  of  the  campaign,  hold  a  review  and  march 
past  of  the  personnel  of  the  Expedition.  Taking  my  men 
according  to  rank,  there  naturally  steps  forth  my  caravan 
assistant,  James  Martin,  familiarly  known  as  Martin.  Com- 
paratively short  of  limb,  though  stout  of  body,  he  has  the 
somewhat  ungraceful  walk  of  the  sailor.  Dark  hair  and  eyes 
and  swarthy  complexion  at  once  indicate  that  he  comes  of 
a  Mediterranean  race. 

Next  appears  Muhinna,  on  whose  honesty  I  depend  for  any 
success  in  my  attempt  to  penetrate  the  Masai  country.  A 
cunning,  unprepossessing  expression  does  not  speak  well  for 
him,  but  at  present  I  have  no  fault  to  find  with  him. 

Following  Muhinna,  appear  in  succession  Muiiiyi  Sera, 
short,  and  well  up  in  years ;  Makatubu,  tall,  well-made,  and 
muscular ;  Kacheche,  the  '*  detective,"  rather  below  the 
average  in  size,  characterized  by  a  sly  expression,  as  of  one 
who  has  some  "  ways  that  are  dark,  and  tricks  that  are  vain." 

In  the  wake  of  these  worthies  comes  Erahim  (the 
"bullock"),  as  faitliful  as  the  bull-dog,  and  almost  as  unpre- 
possessing in  his  appearance.  The  rear  of  the  head-men  is 
brought  up  by  Mzee  Mauledi,  the  quiet  and  steady,  with  a 
cast  of  features  and  a  wealth  of  beard  that  tell  of  Arab  blood 
in  his  veins. 

After  the  leaders  appears  Bedue  ("the  Wanderer"),  a 
perfect  giant,  bold  and  strong,  but  wofuUy  lazy.  He  acts  as 
the  captain  of  those  who  next  follow,  viz,  ten  Askari  or 
soldiers.  These  are  the  best  men  picked  out  of  the  caravan, 
and  their  duties  are  to  act  as  guards,  police,  hunters,  and 
general  assistants  of  the  head-men.  I  had  none  with  me  on 
my  first  expedition  ;  but  it  would  have  been  impossible  to 
have  done  without  them  on  this  occasion,  so  incessant  was 
the  watchfulness  required  to  prevent  desertion,  and  to  guard 
the  camp  during  the  night,  not  to  speak  of  the  unusual 
amount  of  work  required  on  arri  ing  in  camp,  which  hardly 
came  under  the  duties  of  the  porters. 

Along  with  these,  however,  should  be  mentioned  my  cook 
— a  Nassick  boy — named  Mark  Wellington,  well-intentioned 
and  honest,  but  so  atrociously  slow  and  stupid  that  he  spoiled 
more  of  my  meals  than  I  care  to  think  of  now.     Not  un- 


A  Review. 


31 


frequently,  indeed,  have  I  driven  him  from  the  fire,  and 
cooked  my  own  dinner. 

Songoro,  my  "  boy,"  comes  next  to  him  in  point  of  rank, 
and  my  pen  fails  me  to  describe  his  admirable  qualities.  He 
was  simply  perfection  as  an  up-country  servant. 

Finally,  following  the  Askari,  come  the  rank  and  file,  the 
porters— an  indescribable  lot !  therefore  let  me  pass  them  on 
with  the  remark  that  there  were  113  in  all,  and  that  they 
were  loaded  as  follows  : — 29  carrying  beads ;  34  iron,  brass, 


wA-HxiKA  wosrey  POirii0iK0  obaik. 

and  copper  wire ;  14  cloth ;  15  personal  stores ;  9  clothes, 
boots,  books,  &c. ;  5  with  ammunition ;  6  scientific  instru- 
ments, photographic  apparatus,  &c.  ;  10  tents  and  tent  fur- 
niture, cooking  gear,  &c.  K  you  add  2  boys,  1  gun-bearer, 
and  1  donkey-boy,  you  have  the  list  of  my  caravan  complete. 
As  there  was  no  food  to  be  got  on  the  road  till  Ndara  in 
Teita  was  reached,  it  was  necessary  to  get  a  number  of  men 
to  carry  provisions.  I  was  so  fortunate  as  to  secure  about 
thirty  "Wa-teita  who  had  come  down  to  the  coast  Ln  hopes 


32  Thbough  Masai  Land. 

of  falling  in  with  an  up-country  caravan.  These  men 
carried  rice  in  loads  of  not  more  than  forty  pounds'  weight, 
supported,  not  after  the  manner  of  the  Wa-swahili,  but  by  a 
strap  round  the  forehead,  the  load  resting  on  the  back. 
This  is  the  customary  mode  of  all  the  tribes  on  the  Masai 
trade  routes,  except  the  Wa-kavirondo.  The  Wa-swahili 
and  tribes  along  the  U-nyarawesi  route  carry  their  burden 
either  on  the  head  or  on  the  shoulder — never  on  the  back. 
The  Manyema  again,  west  of  Tanganyika  follow  the  latter 
method. 

Our  ambulance  corps  consisted  of  two  beautiful  white  Muscat 
donkeys  and  one  black  half-breed,  the  Avhole  commanded  by 
one  very  diminutive  imp  of  a  boy,  named  Mabruki.  In  my 
more  enthusiastic  and  romantic  moods,  and  as  playfully 
symbolical  of  the  spirit  of  the  Expedition,  I  was  wont  to 
designate  the  white  donkeys  by  the  titles  of  Nil  Desperandum 
and  Excelsior ;  for  the  more  prosy  requirements  of  the  march, 
however,  they  were  known  respectively  as  Dick  and  Billy. 

Such,  then,  were  the  component  elements  of  the  Royal 
Geographical  Society's  Expedition  to  one  of  the  most 
dangerous,  unexplored  regions  of  Africa,  when,  on  the  15th 
of  March,  1883,  it  stood  in  a  sweltering  mid-day  heat,  in  the 
centre  of  the  Mission  Settlement,  awaiting  the  word  to  start. 

The  signal  was  given.  There  was  a  wild  rush  and  scramble 
for  the  head  of  the  caravan,  the  customary  incentive  shouts 
to  *'  Hvirry  up  !  "  and  a  running  fire  of  farewells,  as,  headed 
by  our  flag,  the  long  file  of  men  passed  through  the  Rabai 
village,  leaving  behind  the  cocoa- crowned  heights,  the  verdant 
ridges  with  their  stern,  sentinel-like  fan-palms,  and  the  cul- 
tivated outer  slopes,  and  away  into  the  Nyika  or  "Wilderness  " 
beyond.  The  last  man  gone,  I  shook  hands  with  my  pleasant 
hostess,  lifted  my  hat,  and  set  my  face  towards  the  setting  sun. 

A  quarter  of  an  hour's  walk  took  us  beyond  the  plantations, 
and  with  surprising  abruptness  we  passed  into  a  scene  of 
desolation  and  sterility  ;  the  grass,  sere  and  yellow,  crumbling 
into  powder  under  our  feet ;  nothing  green  in  the  landscape 
except  those  lovers  of  arid  soils,  mimosas  and  acacias,  dwarf 
fan-palms,  and  the  cactus-like  tree-euphorbias.  An  hour  and 
a  half  more,  and  we  had  passed  the  glaring  red  sands  of  the 
coast  hills,  to  enter  upon  a  less  dazzling  and  more  fertile- 
looking  tract,  characterized  by  greater  humidity,  and  forming 
splendid  grazing-grounds.  Here  and  there  were  dense  masses 
of  evergreen  trees  festooned,  or  rather  interlaced,  with 
creepers,  interspersed  with  numerous  green  grassy  glades,  and 


BKTIEWIKO    THE   BXPEDITIOX. 


34  Through  Masai  Land. 

made  gay  by  a  rich  array  of  beautiful  orchids.  A  group  of 
pallah  gave  further  life  to  the  scene,  and  helped  to  make  up  a 
picture  of  the  most  pleasing  description. 

Other  matters,  however,  not  so  agreeable  presently  forced 
themselves  upon  my  attention.  The  season  of  the  year  was 
that  which  just  immediately  precedes  the  rains.  The  sun, 
almost  vertically  overhead,  sent  its  rays  with  piercing  eflFect 
through  the  atmospheric  envelope  which,  charged  to  its  ut- 
most Avith  moisture,  made  us  groan  and  sweat  by  its  oppres- 
siveness, not  to  speak  of  the  notoriously  disagreeable 
sensations  aroused  by  prickly  heat.  Upon  the  men  the  heat 
told  with  the  greatest  effect,  after  their  life  of  laziness  and 
debauchery  on  the  coast.  They  exasperated  me  beyond  all 
endurance,  as,  every  few  steps,  they  threw  down  their  loads, 
and  themselves  beside  them,  shouting  for  water,  and  seem- 
ingly trying  how  far  they  could  impose  upon  me.  And  yet 
I  knew  my  men.  For  the  time  being  I  had  to  pocket  my 
irritation  as  well  as  hide  more  persuasive  arguments.  I  was 
not  yet  in  a  position  to  indulge  either  without  fear  of  the 
men  running  away.  And  so  I  meekly  tried  moral  suasion, 
and  pled  with  the  lazy,  or,  more  properly,  enervated  rascals, 
to  push  on,  if  they  intended  to  reach  camp  that  night.  I  had 
seen  much  of  the  Zanzibar  porter,  but  I  never  saw  such  an 
exhibition  of  incompetence  and  debility  as  I  saw  on  that  first 
march  from  Eabai.  It  lowered  the  level  of  my  enthusiasm 
more  than  anything  that  had  yet  occurred. 

At  sunset  we  reached  a  placed  called  Kwale,  where  we 
camped  for  the  night.  This  district  is  occupied  by  a  settlement 
of  Wa-kamba,  who  have  built  their  villages  in  the  centre  of 
an  almost  inpenetrable  jungle-patch,  where  they  can  bid 
defiance  to  the  Masai.  They  have  many  cattle,  sheep,  and 
goats,  which  are  a  powerful  attraction  to  the  latter  warriors. 
They  do  not,  however,  depend  entirely  upon  their  cattle,  but 
practise  agriculture  as  well.  We  here  learned  the  disagree- 
able news  that  the  Masai  had  lately  been  seen  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood, and  were  known  to  be  no  great  distance  off.  The 
Wa-kamba  were  keeping  themselves  accordingly  in  a  state 
of  defence,  and  dared  not  venture  out  to  their  planta- 
tion. 

With  the  first  night  in  camp  commenced  my  anxiety.  I 
knew  only  too  well  that  a  very  considerable  number  of  my 
men  had  never  joined  with  any  other  intention  than  to  get 
their  three  months'  wages  in  advance,  and  then  desert  on 
the   first   opportunity.     The   majority  were   careful   not  to 


Precautions  against  Desertion.        35 

attempt  this  either  at  Zanzibar  or  Mombasa, — though  ten 
succeeded  in  doing  so  at  the  former,  and  one  at  the  latter — as 
they  would  run  the  risk  of  being  captured.  They  intended 
to  go  up  country  one  or  two  marches  first,  and  then  it  would 
be  next  to  impossible  to  lay  hands  upon  them.  Foreseeing 
this,  I  was  careful  to  camp  in  the  open,  at  a  place  free  of  bush 
or  jungle,  so  that  no  one  could  leave  without  being  seen. 
In  the  hearing  of  the  men,  bloodthirsty  orders  were  given  to 
the  night-guard  to  shoot  down  without  warning  any  one 
observed  to  go  outside  camp.  The  head-men  were  en- 
joined to  take  turns  in  making  rounds  to  see  all  was 
safe ;  and,  to  make  sure  that  it  was  attended  to,  they 
had  to  call  me  or  Martin  up  every  two  hours,  and  report 
all  right. 

The  night,  however,  passed  without  incident,  and  the 
following  morning  we  continued  our  way,  taking  the  pre- 
caution to  scatter  at  intervals  throughout  the  entire  length  of 
the  caravan  the  head-men  and  Askari,  who  allowed  no  one 
to  leave  the  path  unless  it  was  necessary  to  do  so,  and  then 
accompanied  him.  Any  one  who  stopped  to  rest  was  waited 
upon  till  he  started  again.  Here  let  me  say  that,  bad  as 
were  the  men  I  had  with  me,  I  would  never  have  dreamed 
of  taking  all  these  precautions  but  for  my  knowledge  that 
there  was  the  utmost  dread  existing  among  the  men  at  the 
very  idea  of  entering  the  Masai  country,  so  frequent  had 
been  the  disasters.  This  prevailing  nervousness  was  a  con- 
tinual source  of  anxiety  to  me,  till  I  felt  I  had  got  my  men 
into  a  position  where  they  dared  not  run  away. 

Our  march  on  the  second  day  kept  generally  W.X.W., 
over  rich  country,  which  became,  as  we  proceeded,  more 
sterUe  and  thorny.  We  passed  two  Wa-kamba  villages, 
where  the  inhabitants  had  lost  their  cattle  through  the  agency 
of  the  Masai.  At  one  place  we  noticed  the  site  of  a  great 
battle  between  the  latter  and  the  Wam'ika,  in  which  after  a 
bloody  struggle,  the  Masai  had  been  defeated,  though  at  the 
cost  of  300  lives  to  the  victors.  Over  a  considerable  area 
the  ground  was  literally  strewed  Avith  skulls.  We  camjied 
at  a  miserable  M-kamba  village,  named  MakutL  In  the 
orders  for  the  night  Kacheche  reminded  the  men  that  they 
had  left  their  wives  behind  them,  and  that  it  was  necessary 
to  regard  their  guns  as  their  best  bed-companions  for  the 
wilderness,  and  as  though  they  were  their  wives  to  keep  a 
gooil  look-out  after  them.  Prompted  by  me,  he  recommended 
them  to  keep  close  together,  and  always  ready,  as  there  were 

D  2 


36  Theough  Masai  Land. 

numerous  bands  of  Masai  roving  about,  who  would  like 
nothing  better  than  to  stab  stragglers,  just  to  keep  their 
hands  in. 

This  night,despite  of  all  my  expedients,  two  men  contrived 
to  desert,  and,  as  it  would  have  been  qiiite  useless  to  attempt 
to  find  them,  we  had  to  leave  without  them,  only  doubling 
our  vigilance  and  circulating  stories  about  Masai  in  our  rear, 
which  had  more  effect  than  bushels  of  threats. 

The  country  we  had  now  entered  is  called  Duruma.  It  is 
occupied  by  a  sub-tribe  of  Wa-nyika,  who  drag  out  a  miserable 
existence,  ever  facing  death  from  the  fell  scourge  famine,  or, 
what  is  to  them  still  more  terrible,  the  Masai  spear.  Hard 
indeed  is  the  lot  of  these  poor  wretches,  toiling  **  from  morn 
till  dewy  eve,"  clearing  away  the  dense  jungle,  and  soAving 
the  grain,  only  too  frequently  to  find  no  return  from  want  of 
rain. 

The  bush  of  the  Duruma  country  is  a  perfect  marvel  of 
vegetable  monstrosities  ;  shrubs  in  which  great  thorns  seem 
to  replace  the  more  grateful  foliage ;  several  species  of 
euphorbia ;  aloes  with  their  forbidding,  thick,  spiny  repre- 
sentatives of  leaves  ;  cycads,  and  a  great  variety  of  forms  with 
whose  place  in  the  flora  I  am  totally  unacquainted.  The 
trees  and  bushes  are  notably  distinguished  by  the  possession 
of  the  smallest  quantity  of  green  foliage  compatible  with  the 
existence  of  the  largest  number  of  gnarled,  ugly  branches, 
through  which  the  struggle  for  existence  seems  to  be  carried 
on  in  this  stern  battle-field  of  vegetable  life.  Yet,  curiously 
enough,  splendid  cycads,  with  their  noble  palm-like  crowns 
of  leaves,  rise  in  all  directions,  contriving  to  get  larger  elbow- 
room  than  even  their  more  formidable  rivals,  and  not 
infrequently  managing  even  to  keep  their  leaves  from  the 
intrusion  of  neighbouring  branches.  This  remarkable  jungle 
is  made  infinitely  more  impenetrable  by  great,  apparently 
leafless,  creepers,  which  wriggle  along  the  ground,  their 
giant  arms  suggesting  colossal  snakes  as  they  clasp  trees  and 
bushes  in  an  iron  embrace,  and  form  by  their  interlacing  a 
mass  of  tangle  as  ditiicult  to  describe  as  it  would  be  to  clear 
away.  It  is  not,  however,  without  its  uses.  In  the  centre 
of  one  of  these  jungles,  the  Wa-duruma  can  snap  their 
fingers  at  the  Masai.  There  is  no  possible  entrance  but  by 
a  narrow,  tortuous  lane,  into  which  no  savage  who  valued 
his  life  would  for  a  moment  venture.  Without  some  such 
natural  protection,  Duruma  would  at  this  day  be  a  totally 
uninhabited  waste. 


The  Rock  Reservoirs  of  Dpruma.      37 

The  fourth  march  took  us  out  of  Duruma,  and  into  the  un- 
populated desert  beyond,  which  stretches  to  Teita.  The 
country  begins  to  rise  considerably,  and  we  pass  from  the 
dark- coloured  stiff  loam  to  a  more  sandy,  reddish-grey  soU, 
due  to  the  change  from  shales  to  coarse,  gritty  sandstone. 
This  leads  us  through  a  succession  of  scrub  and  bush 
patches,  alternating  with  more  open,  low,  forest  tracts. 
Everywhere  the  sandstone  may  be  seen  cropping  out,  till  the 
unguninga  of  Taro — or,  as  it  is  also  sometimes  called,  the 
Ziwa  (pond)  Ariangulo — is  reached. 

The  rocks  of  this  district  present  some  very  noteworthy 
features.  They  are  extremely  coarse,  grey  in  colour,  and  show 
almost  no  trace  of  bedding.  By  two  sets  of  joints  at  right 
angles  to  each  other  they  are  divided  into  enormous  blocks 
from  thirty  to  forty  feet  sc[uare.  The  water  lodging  in  these 
joints,  and  vegetable  substances  rotting  in  it,  seem  to  have 
acted  chemically  upon  the  sides,  weakening  or  eating  them 
away,  till  what  have  only  been  simple  lines  of  division 
are  transformed  into  deep  trenches  eighteen  inches  to  two 
feet  broad,  and  so  remarkably  regvJar  and  even  as  to  suggest 
the  idea  of  an  artificial  origin.  In  these  trenches  the  rains 
of  the  wet  season  collect,  and  form  natural  reservoirs  of 
water  which  are  about  the  only  sources  of  supply  for  the 
whole  Duruma  country.  But  for  these,  indeed,  it  would  be 
quite  impossible  for  a  loaded  caravan  to  reach  Teita. 

But  it  is  not  in  these  joints  alone  that  nature  forms 
reservoirs  of  an  exceptional  kind.  The  sandstones  seem  to 
have  a  peculiar  tendency  to  weather  into  pot-holes  of  all 
sizes,  exactly  similar  to  the  holes  formed  by  mountain  tor- 
rents in  the  solid  rock  where  swirls  or  miniature  whirlpools 
cause  stones  to  gjTate,  and  by  a  constant  erosive  process 
literally  drill  holes  in  the  solid  rock.  In  the  cases,  however, 
to  which  I  refer,  this  mode  of  origin  does  not  seem 
applicable,  unless  we  imagine  that  here  we  have  actually  the 
original  bed  of  the  sea,  unaltered  by  time  and  the  elements. 
My  own  opinion  is  that  they  have  been  formed  by  the 
joint  action  of  nature  and  man;  the  former  operating 
chemically,  the  latter  mechanically.  Nature  formed  slight 
rock  hollows  in  which  water  lodged,  attracting  the  formation 
of  vegetation.  This,  rotting,  supplied  acids  with  which  the 
water  acted  upon  the  rock,  loosening  the  component  par- 
ticles by  dissolving  the  cementing  material,  probably  lime. 
Man,  in  the  search  of  the  precious  fluid  in  these  sterile 
tracts,  found  the  hollows,  and  seeing  them  fidl  of  loose  sand, 


38  Theough  Masai  Land. 

naturally  scooped  it  out.  Thus,  year  after  year,  the  process 
went  on,  the  water  continuing  to  loosen  the  sand,  and  thirsty 
men  clearing  it  away  to  expose  fresh  surfaces,  until  holes  in 
many  cases  eighteen  inches  to  two  feet  in  diameter,  and  of 
all  depths  up  to  eight  feet,  were  formed.  As  a  rule  they  are 
quite  circular,  and  extend  downwards  quite  perpendicularly. 
They  are  known  technically  by  the  natives  as  Ungurungas. 

At  Taro  we  for  the  first  time  in  four  days  enjoyed  the 
glorious  luxury  of  a  wash  in  good  water.  So  far  we  had 
only  met  water  that  had  been  characterized  by  an  amount  of 
"  body "  and  a  "  bouquet "  that  required  all  the  pangs  of 
thirst  to  make  us  drink  it,  even  after  much  boiling  and 
filtering  through  grass  and  cloth — for  our  pocket  filters  were 
absolutely  useless  in  this  liquid  mud,  the  colour  of  road 
washings  or  sepia  ink.  Though  we  drank  this  decoction, 
the  idea  of  washing  even  our  feet  in  it  was  looked  upon  as 
rather  too  good  a  joke.  We  therefore  had  to  take  it  in- 
ternally and  sweat  it  out,  and  the  perspiration  was  copious 
enough,  with  the  aid  of  our  handkerchiefs,  to  keep  us  from 
becoming  literally  encrusted. 

From  Taro  a  difficult,  waterless  march  was  before  us, 
which  would  tax  all  the  strength  and  stamina  of  my  men, 
and  all  my  patience  and  influence  to  get  them  along.  Start- 
ing at  daybreak,  we  traversed  an  undulating  region  which 
seemed  Avonderfully  fertile,  and  was  covered  with  a  pleasant, 
open  forest,  under  the  shelter  of  which  grew  a  rich  carpet  of 
tender  grass.  Five  hours*  march  through  this  agreeable  tract, 
and  we  to  our  delight  came  unexpectedly  upon  a  small  hole 
filled  with  filthy  water.  Uninviting  as  the  liquid  seemed,  it 
was  a  perfect  god-send  to  several  of  our  men,  who,  with  the 
characteristic  recklessness  of  the  negro,  had  already  drunk  up 
all  the  water  they  had  brought  with  them  for  two  terrible 
marches.  There  was  just  sufficient  to  give  each  man  a 
mouthful,  and  after  draining  it  to  the  dregs,  or  to  the  mud, 
— for  it  was  all  dregs, — we  resumed  our  march. 

From  this  point  an  al)rupt  eliange  took  place  in  the  geology 
and  botany  of  the  country.  So  far,  the  geological  basis  had 
been  a  series  of  shales,  flaggy  sandstones,  and  the  same  of 
coarse,  gritty,  compact  material,  forming  the  representatives 
of  the  carboniferous  series  in  East  Africa,  which  extends  in 
a  narrow  strip  continuously  from  near  the  Equator  to  the 
Cape.  These  here  gave  place  to  metamori)hic  rocks  which 
bulk  so  largely  in  the  formation  of  the  African  continent. 
Schists  and  gneiss,  greywacke  and  hornblende  were  now  the 


Desolation.  39 

prominent  rocks,  and  as  these  contain  numerous  minerals, 
rich  in  iron,  the  soil  formed  by  their  decomposition  was 
found  to  be  of  a  glaring  red  colour,  most  painful  to  behold, 
and  strikingly  deficient  in  fertilizing  ingredients. 

This  change  in  rock  and  soil  is  accompanied  by  a  marked 
difference  in  the  surface  features  of  the  country.  The  agree- 
able alternation  of  ridge  and  hollow  is  exchanged  for  an 
apparently  dead  level  plain,  parched  and  waterless  as  if  no 
drop  of  life-giving  rain  refreshed  the  iron-bound  soil.  The 
dense  jungle,  the  grassy  glades,  the  open  forest  disappear, 
and  their  place  is  taken  by  what  may  be  called  a  skeleton 
forest.  Weird  and  ghastly  is  the  aspect  of  the  greyish- 
coloured  trees  and  bushes ;  for  they  are  almost  totally 
destitute  of  tender,  waving  branch  or  quivering  leaf.  No 
pliant  twig  or  graceful  foliage  responds  to  the  pleasing 
influence  of  the  passing  breeze.  Stem  and  unbending,  they 
present  rigid  arms  or  formidable  thorns,  as  if  bidding 
defiance  to  drought  or  storm.  To  heighten  the  sombre  effect 
of  the  scene,  dead  trees  are  observable  in  every  direction 
raising  their  shattered  forms  among  the  living,  unable  to 
hold  their  own  in  the  struggle  for  existence.  Hardly  a  spot 
of  green  relieves  the  depressing  landscape,  and,  though  it  was 
now  the  wet  season,  only  here  and  there  could  a  tuft  of  grass 
be  seen.  A  dreary  silence  reigned  supreme,  unbroken  by 
the  chirp  of  insect  or  the  song  of  bird.  Ko  grass  rustled,  no 
leafy  branch  sighed  or  pattered  like  dropping  rain.  The 
wind,  hasting  past  fresh  from  the  ocean,  raised  only  a 
mournful  whistling  or  dreary  creaking,  "  eerie  "  and  fuU  of 
sadness,  as  if  it  said,  "  Here  all  is  death  and  desolation  ! " 

Through  this  dreatlful  wilderness  our  route  now  lay.  The 
porter,  wearied  alrea<;ly  with  a  long  march,  and  parched  for 
want  of  water,  presses  on  panting  and  perspiring  under  a 
broiling  sun,  made  worse  by  the  glaring  red  soil  which  reflects 
the  rays  as  though  they  came  from  the  mouth  of  a  furnace. 
In  vain  does  he  look  for  a  bit  of  refreshing  shade.  Dog- 
gedly he  throws  down  his  load,  and  sinking  his  head  in  his 
hands,  and  doubling  himself  over  his  knees  or  stretchmg  him- 
self full  length  on  the  ground,  he  requires  not  infrequently 
something  more  tlian  moral  suasion  to  hurry  him  on.  Thus 
urged,  he  attempts  his  weary  best,  and,  weak  and  trembling 
about  the  limbs  with  the  unusual  exertion,  he  staggers  on, 
now  bending  to  pass  under  a  bare,  over-hanging  branch,  anon 
extricating  himself  from  the  clutches  of  a  wait-a-bit  thorn, 
leaving    behind  him  fragments  of    his  flimsy  clothing,  or 


46  Through  Masai  Land. 

carrying  away  with  him  nasty  scratches  from  which  the 
blood  oozes  and  trickles  down  his  legs  till  they  bltnd 
with  the  runnels  of  perspiration.  Such  were  the  charac- 
teristics of  our  first  march  in  the  true  "  Nyika "  of  East 
Africa. 

At  six  we  camped  for  the  night,  to  await  the  rising  of  the 
moon,  and  rest  the  exhausted  men.  In  the  hope  of  falling 
in  with  some  pool  of  water,  I  then  set  off  with  Brahim 
through  the  scrub.  After  wandering  about,  seeking  for  the 
precious  element  in  vain  for  nearly  an  hour,  we  attempted  to 
return  to  camp,  darkness  having  fallen  upon  us.  But  it 
soon  turned  out  that  return  was  not  to  be  so  easily  accom- 
plished. For  the  first  time  in  my  life  I  had  to  confess  my- 
self lost.  Brahim  and  I  differed  as  to  the  direction  we 
should  take.  In  the  end  we  wandered  aimlessly.  We  fired 
our  rifles,  but  got  no  response.  A  feeling  of  awe  took  posses- 
sion of  us,  and  we  were  getting  into  the  condition  of  seeing 
lions  in  every  waving  bush.  We  had  heard  that  the  dreaded 
animals  were  frequently  to  be  seen  here,  and  soon  a  distant 
roar  told  us  that  his  brutish  majesty  was  out  for  a  night  of 
dissipation.  It  is  not  easy  to  conceive  any  more  uncomfort- 
able sensation  than  that  of  finding  yourself  lost  in  such  a 
forest  as  I  have  described.  The  wheezing  and  creaking  of 
the  branches,  the  indistinctness  Avith  which  every  object  is 
seen,  and  the  knoAvledge  that,  somewhere  about,  there  are 
fierce  and  dangerous  creatures,  all  excite  the  fancy  and  sternly 
try  the  strength  of  one's  nerves.  At  last  I  became  utterly 
tired.  My  feet  were  sadly  blistered,  my  clothes  nearly  torn 
to  tatters,  and  my  skin  was  most  painfully  scratched  by 
forcing  my  way  in  the  dark  through  thorns  and  branches.  I 
gave  up  in  despair,  and  resolved  to  lie  down  and  take  my 
chance,  though  I  Avas  drenched  with  perspiration,  and  the 
night  was  becoming  chilly.  But  at  that  moment  a  sound 
broke  on  our  ears  that  made  us  jump  to  our  feet  with  re- 
newed animation.  "Bunduki!  Bunduki!  "  (A  gun!)  cried 
Brahim.  Keckless  of  consequences,  I  fired  off  my  sole  re- 
maining cartridge,  and  then  stood  in  that  perilous  waste 
defenceless.  For  that,  however,  we  cared  not.  Our  gun 
had  been  heard,  and  an  answering  shot  enabled  us  to  fix  ac- 
curately the  direction  of  relief.  Forgetting  blistered  feet 
and  tired  limbs  then,  and  heedless  of  thorns  and  tearing 
clothes,  we  went  pell-mell  through  all  obstruction  till  we 
stumbled  upon  Makatubu  and  some  others  who  were  on  the 
search    for   us.     We   reached    camp  .at   midnight.     I    had 


From  Maukgu  to  Ndaka.  41 

thus  been  on  my  feet  for  eighteen  hours  without  food  and 
with  very  little  water. 

As  the  result  of  this  episode  our  intended  night  march 
was  put  off  till  4  a.m.,  and  then  so  lame  was  I  with  blistered 
feet,  that  for  the  first  time  in  my  African  experience  I 
mounted  a  donkey. 

I  hesitate  to  describe  the  terrible  work  we  had  in  pushing 
on  the  caravan  to  the  next  watering-place  at  Maungu,  in 
Teita.  The  men  had  used  up  all  their  water,  and  the  worst 
part  of  the  march  was  still  before  them.  Till  midday  I  did 
my  weary  best  to  get  them  on,  but  perceiving  that  matters 
Avere  becoming  serious,  and  the  men  breaking  down  on  all 
sides  to  such  an  extent  that  the  Askari  and  head-men  were 
occupied  every  one  of  them  carrying  loads,  I  determined  to 
force  my  way  ahead  and  get  water.  Selecting  one  or  two 
'head-men  and  some  Wa-teita,we  laid  hold  of  as  many  calabashes 
as  possible  and  set  off.  At  2  p.m.,  we  reached  the  saddle- 
shaped  mountain  of  Maungu,  to  the  very  summit  of  which 
the  men  had  to  ascend  before  water  could  be  got.  This 
attained,  they  were  despatched  immediately  to  the  rear  to 
relieve  the  most  exhausted.  By  four  the  leading  portera 
began  to  struggle  in,  thoroughly  worn  out.  The  last  did  not 
get  in  till  s\inset.  A  heavy  storm  of  thunder  and  rain  gave 
the  culminating  touch  to  the  misery  of  the  poor  fellows ;  and 
there  they  sat,  half  dead  -with  cold,  shrivelled  and  shivering, 
as  if  seized  with  ague.  I  was  supremely  thankful,  however, 
in  reflecting  that  we  had  now  passed  the  worst  of  the  wilder- 
ness. The  Masai  were  now  behind  us  as  well  as  in  front — 
a  fact  which  relieved  me  of  further  anxieties  alx)ut  deser- 
tions. From  the  pass  of  Maungu  we  had  a  fuU  view  of  the 
picturesque  mountain  of  Ndara  in  front  of  us,  and  past  the 
end  of  it  we  could  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  still  more  noble 
range  of  Bura. 

Maiingu  is  one  of  a  line  of  ieolate'l  mountains  and  peaks 
running  nearly  north  and  south,  of  which  Kisigau  is  the 
southern  termination — a  peak  which  forms  one  of  the  moat 
striking  and  grand  features  in  the  whole  of  this  region. 
There  is  a  large  ungurunga,  or  natural  rock-reservoir,  at  the 
top  of  ^laungu,  which  never  dries  up,  and  which  formerly 
supplied  the  necessities  of  several  villages  of  Wa-teiti,  who 
occupied  the  mountain  when  Krapf  first  visited  it  on  his  way 
to  U-kambani.  There  are  no  inhabitants  now  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood. 

Leaving   Maungu,  after   being  kept  in  camp  for  several 


42  Theouge  Masai  Land. 

hours  by  heavy  rains,  we  crossed  the  thoru-clad  level  plain 
which  separated  us  from  the  mountain  of  Ndara.  The  men 
were  considerably  broken  down  by  their  two  previous  hard 
marches,  and  got  on  very  badly,  though  now,  with  a  recruit- 
ing station  directly  before  us,  we  could  afford  to  exercise 
more  patience,  and  let  them  march  as  they  pleased.  After 
five  hours'  march  we  emerged  suddenly  from  the  thorn 
jungle,  and  entered  a  series  of  magnificent  plantations  which 
extend  round  the  base  of  the  entire  mountain,  forming,  when 
the  crops  are  springing,  a  charming  light  green  setting  to 
the  dark  mountain  mass.  We  here  met  the  Wa-teita  women 
in  considerable  numbers,  and  we  moved  up  to  camp  amidst 
the  firing  of  guns  and  the  wondering  cries  of  the  native 
damsels  and  married  women,  who  recalled  former  scenes  of  a 
similar  character  as  they  ran  alongside  with  curious  stares 
and  excited  laughter,  their  pendant  breasts  flapping  against 
their  bosoms  like  half-empty,  loosely-attached  leather  bottles. 
We  soon  crossed  these  cultivated  fields  ;  and  in  a  short  time 
we  found  ourselves  camped  under  a  shady  sycamore,  drinking 
deep  draughts  of  clear  water  from  a  cool  rill  which  splashed  and 
tumbled  down  the  rugged  face  of  Ndara,  and  invited  us  by  its 
merry  music  to  the  luxury  of  a  bath.  Unfortunately  we  had 
to  restrain  our  ardent  desire  to  strip  at  once,  not  on  account 
of  the  feelings  of  the  Wa-teita,  but  in  consideration  for  our 
own,  which  had  not  yet  become  quite  hardened  to  the  idea  of 
appearing  in  piiris  naturalibus.  As  the  shades  of  evening  set 
in,  the  natives  ascended  to  their  mountain  homes,  and  then 
we  disported  ourselves  to  our  heart's  content  under  splashing 
waterfalls,  with  delicious  cool  mountain  breezes  to  fan  us  dry, 
and  a  beautiful  scene  before  us  as  the  moon  rose  over  the  top 
of  the  mountain,  and  shed  a  silvery  sheen  athwart  the  laud, 
here  softly  lighting  up  the  tops  of  the  rocks,  there  glittering 
on  the  dew-laden  surfaces  of  the  tree  leaves. 

To  recruit  the  men  after  their  trying  marches  through  the 
Nyika,  we  did  not  strike  our  camp  on  the  following  day. 
Too  restless  myself,  however,  to  remain  doing  nothing,  I 
resolved  to  ascend  to  the  top  of  the  mountain  and  afterwards 
visit  Mr.  Wray,  the  C.M.S.  agent  recently  stationed  there. 
Leaving  Martin  to  take  the  caravan  round  to  the  opposite 
side,  next  day  I  commenced  the  ascent  of  the  mountain, 
accompanied  by  lirahim  and  two  Wa-teita  as  guides.  The 
excessively  steep  face  of  Ndara  tried  the  power  of  both  my 
limbs  and  lungs  as  we  scrambled  up  among  the  rocks  and  the 
great  boulders  of  gneiss  which   lie  on  the  face  of  the  moun- 


Ascent  of  Ndaea. 


43 


tain  by  a  very  precarious  hold.  We  found  that  on  every 
available  spot  in  the  scarred  sides,  and  wherever  water  trickled, 
sugar-cane  and  bananas  were  cultivated.  Every  here 
and  there  water  might  be  observed  running  to  the  less 
favoured  spots  along  artificial  canals,  or  conveyed  by  tiny 
aqueducts  of  banana  stems  along  the  faces  of  rocks  and  other 
places,  where  a  channel  could  not  be  cut.  On  reaching  about 
a  thousand  feet  above  the  plain,  we  entered  the  inhabited 
zone   and  found  that  the  whole  of  the  upper  part  of  the 


TKITA   HUT. 

mountain  was  thickly  populated,  with  the  exception  of  the 
actual  summit,  which  is  too  cold  and  wet  io  be  comfortable. 
The  shamhas  or  plantations  are  all  at  the  bottom  of  the 
mountain,  except  those  of  cassava,  sweet  potatoes,  sugar-cane, 
and  bananas.  The  cultivation  of  the  fields  is  the  work  of  the 
women,  who  descend  daily  iu  the  proper  seasons.  To  this 
doubtless  is  to  be  ascribed  their  fine  development  of  limb, 
and  general  appearance  of  healthiness  compared  with  the  men, 
who  are  thin  and  immuscular.     Their  huts  we  found  to  be 


44  Theough  Masai  Land. 

beehive-shaped,  with  very  low  walls.  The  daylight  is 
entirely  excluded,  owing  to  a  partition  which  runs  a  consider- 
able way  round  the  inside  of  the  house  in  the  manner  of  a 
spiral,  thus  forming  a  narrow  passage  from  the  doorway,  and 
sheltering  the  sleeping-place  from  a  direct  current  of  air. 
A  fire  is  kept  burning  night  and  day  in  the  hut,  supplying 
their  sole  illumination.  In  the  part  cut  off  by  the  partition, 
their  firewood,  which  has  to  be  carried  from  the  bottom  of 
the  hill,  is  stored.  Inside,  on  the  rafters  overhead,  the 
calabashes — of  which  the  Wa-teita  are  celebrated  growers — 
are  placed  along  with  their  winter  stores  of  food.  The 
chickens,  the  goats,  the  sheep  find  odd  corners  in  which  to 
stow  themselves  and  fraternize  with  their  masters,  thus 
helping  to  make  the  interior  more  comfortable  and  cosy 
according  to  native  ideas. 

After  a  three  hours'  stiff  climb  we  reached  the  top  of  the 
mountain,  which  is  called  Mrumunyi,  and  while  I  boiled  my 
thermometer  to  ascertain  the  altitude,  and  paused  to  recover 
my  breath,  I  looked  about  me  to  form  some  notion  of  the 
topographical  features  of  the  extensive  landscape  that  lay 
before  me.  The  view  well  repaid  the  toil  of  climbing — 
indeed  when  does  not  a  mountain  prospect  repay  the  adven- 
turer 1  I  found  myself  on  a  long  narrow  ridge  suggesting  the 
roof  of  a  house  running  nearly  north  and  south.  The  east 
side  presents  little  irregularity  and  rises  up  with  great  abrujDt- 
ness  to  a  height  of  5050  feet.  On  the  w^est  side  there  is  a 
deep,  irregular  indentation  in  the  upper  half  of  the  mountain, 
forming  a  sort  of  lower  ledge,  along  which  a  small  stream 
flows  till,  reaching  the  edge,  it  tumbles  by  a  series  of  cascades 
down  to  the  bottom.  Numerous  villages  of  Wa-teita  here 
find  shelter  from  the  force  of  the  monsoons,  and  securely 
graze  their  small  herds  of  cattle  on  the  upper  pastures. 
Luxuriant  patches  of  sugar-cane,  dark  green  plots  of  sweet 
potatoes,  and  groves  of  banana  vary  the  scene.  On  the  edge 
of  this  platform  or  ledge,  the  iron  mission-house  could  be 
descried  arising  from  a  small  grove  of  trees.  Turning  our  eye 
from  what  was  immediately  at  our  feet,  a  magnificent  picture 
revealed  itself.  To  the  north,  over  the  end  of  Ndara,  a  series 
of  small  isolated  peaks  appeared  extending  far  away  towards 
U-kambani.  To  the  north-east  a  boundless  light  green  plain 
stretched  out  towards  the  ocean,  and  lost  itself  in  the  haze  of 
distance.  Through  this  the  course  of  the  river  Voi  was  con- 
spicuously marked  out  by  a  winding  line  of  dark  green,  where 
the  trees,  fed  by  the  waters  of  the  stream,  grew  in  greater 


Visit  to  Mr.  "Wrat.  46 

luxuriance.  To  the  east  lay  the  saddle-shaped  ridge  of 
Maungu,  which  by  a  series  of  low  hills  and  small  peaks 
carried  the  eye  away  to  the  south-east,  where,  looming 
through  stratus  clouds,  could  be  seen  the  grand  symmetrical 
mass  of  Kadiaro  (Kisigau)  like  a  truncated  cone.  Far  in  the 
distance  to  the  south  and  south-west  appeared  the  U-sambara, 
the  Pare,  and  Ugono  mountains.  As  we  turned  to  the  west 
the  splendid  range  of  Bura  burst  upon  the  ^^ew  with  its 
rugged  outlines  and  massive  divisions  of  Kibomu,  Sungululu, 
and  Mbololo.  At  the  southern  end  could  be  seen  the  course 
of  the  Matate  sti-eam,  and  from  between  Mbololo  and 
Sungululu  the  Yoi  emerged,  crossed  the  intervening  plain, 
rounded  the  north  end  of  Xdara,  and  wandered  towards  the 
bosom  of  the  ocean.  The  whole  appearance  of  the  Teita 
highlands  is  strikingly  suggestive  of  an  archipelago  of  islands 
rising  with  great  abruptness  from  a  grejish-green  sea,  as  the 
great  weird  plain  which  I  have  described  surrounds  it  on  all 
sides.  The  few  low  peaks  and  ridges  that  do  here  and  there 
crop  up  are  relatively  so  insignificant  as  to  appear  only  as 
shoals  and  jutting  rocks. 

My  observations  for  altitude  completed,  and  feeling  some- 
what cold  on  the  exix)sed  heights,  I  descended  to  !Mtera,  and 
soon  had  the  pleasure  of  greeting  Mr.  Wray,  who  has 
the  honour  of  pioneering  the  way  into  this  region  of 
African  savagery.  From  the  house  we  look  down  almost 
perpendicularly  to  the  base  of  the  mountain,  a  depth  of  nearly 
2000  feet.  Here  I  spent  the  night  in  a  civilized  manner, 
feeling  it  deliciously  cool  up  in  those  airy  heights. 

In  the  morning  at  daybreak  I  peeped  out  to  get  a  fine  view 
of  the  clouds  rolling  in  ever-changing  massive  shapes  from 
off  the  sides  of  Bura,  the  rising  sun  tingeing  the  top  with  a 
warm  glow,  and  lighting  up  every  irregidarity  in  the  face  of 
the  mountains.  Shortly  after  breakfast  my  caravan  was 
espied  marching  up  to  the  stream  at  the  bottom  where  they 
camped,  and  I  at  once  went  down. 

Next  day  Mr.  Wray  joined  me,  and  for  the  first  time  in 
the  latter's  short  experience  of  African  life  he  enjoyed  a  scare. 
The  occasion  of  this  was  a  little  episode  of  a  lively  nature. 
The  "Wa-teita  we  had  engaged  at  the  coast  to  cany-  our  supplies 
of  food  for  a  certain  amount  of  cloth,  had  declined  point- 
blank  to  take  the  kind  offered,  and  demanded  a  sujjerior 
quality.  This  I  refused,  and  now  on  my  return,  finding  that 
I  was  not  inclined  to  give  in,  they  and  their  friends  began 
screaming  and  yelling  themselves  into  a  mad  state  of  excite- 


46  Through  Masai  Land. 

ment.  At  last  one  man,  unable  to  restrain  himself,  and 
probably  hardly  knowing  what  he  was  doing,  drew  his  sword, 
and  began  prancing  about  as  if  getting  up  the  steam  to  run 
amuck.  As  he  gyrated  about  he  suddenly  stabbed  through 
the  tent  which  covered  the  goods,  and  almost  finished  one  of 
my  men.  It  was  like  striking  a  match  among  gunpowder. 
In  a  twinkling  my  men  raised  a  warning  cry  and  guns  were 
seized.  The  Wa-teita,  raising  their  war-cry,  also  drew  their 
swords  or  bent  their  bows,  but  carefully  withdrew  to  the  out- 
skirts of  the  camp,  where  they  sheltered  themselves  behind 
rocks  and  trees,  yelling  like  madmen  and  bidding  us  defiance. 
The  women,  on  the  other  hand,  who  had  crowded  down  to 
sell  food,  fled  screaming  to  the  mountains.  The  war-cry 
raised  below  soon  spread  through  the  forest  and  up  the 
mountain  sides,  rising  ever  higher,  till  the  very  clouds  seemed 
to  give  forth  unearthly  sounds.  For  a  few  minutes  the 
position  was  critical,  and  Mr.  Wray,  unaccustomed  to  such 
scenes,  prudently  retired  into  my  tent.  The  slightest  accident, 
such  as  a  gun  fired,  would  at  once  have  precipitated  a  fight, 
which  it  is  true  would  have  been  a  comparatively  harmless 
matter  to  me,  but  would  have  placed  Mr.  Wray  in  a  most 
awkward  position.  At  all  hazards  such  a  consummation  had 
to  be  avoided,  and,  putting  myself  unarmed  between  the  two 
equally  excited  parties,  I  ordered  my  men  to  return  to  their 
tents,  and  then,  turning  to  the  Wa-teita,  let  them  know  that 
we  wanted  peace,  but  were  prepared,  as  they  saw,  for  war. 
If  they  were  of  the  same  mind,  they  must  stop  the  diabolic 
row  they  were  raising,  and  send  a  few  of  their  elders,  with 
whom  I  would  try  to  arrange  the  dispute.  This  had  the 
desired  efiect,  and  by  mutually  making  concessions,  the 
difficulty  Avas  finally  smoothed  over,  much  to  Mr.  Wray's 
relief,  Avho,  not  unnaturally,  somewhat  exaggerated  the  impor- 
tance of  the  demonstration.  The  Wa-teita  never  dreamed  of 
a  real  fight ;  they  were  obviously  only  trying  a  little  bravado 
to  see  if  it  would  frighten  us.  Still,  as  I  have  said,  such  a 
demonstration  might  easily  have  turned  into  a  most  serious 
affray,  and  I  have  no  doubt,  if  it  had  happened  while  I  was 
out  of  camp,  nothing  could  have  stopped  my  men  from 
shooting. 

This  little  disturbance  being  satisfactorily  quelled  and 
matters  placed  on  the  most  friendly  footing,  the  women  came 
back  to  camp,  and  the  scene  became  lively  and  noisy,  as  the 
men  flirted  boisterously  with  the  young  maidens,  or  haggled 
and  yelled  vociferously  over  the  price  of  food.     I  was  anxious 


The  Wa-tbita. 


47 


to  obtain  some  photographs  of  the  natives,  and  I  tried  hard 
to  win  their  confidence.  Putting  on  my  most  engaging  manner, 
I  exhibited  tempting  strings  of  beads  as  bribes.  In  vain, 
however,  did  I  appeal  to  their  love  of  gaudy  ornaments.  With 
soothing  words,  aided  by  sundry  pinches  and  chuckings  imder 
the  chin,  I  might  get  the  length  of  making  them  stand  up; 
but  the  moment  that  the  attempt  to  focus  them  took  place 


M-TEITA    OP   BDABA. 

they  would  fly  in  terror  to  the  shelter  of  the  woods.  To 
show  them  photos,  and  try  to  explain  what  I  wanted,  only 
made  them  worse.  They  imagined  I  was  a  magician  trying 
to  take  possession  of  their  souls,  which  once  accomplished 
they  would  be  entirely  at  my  mercy.  They  would  not  m 
the  end  even  look  at  a  photo,  and  the  men  began  to  drive  the 


48  Through  Masai  Land. 

women  away.  I  spoiled  several  negatives,  and  finally  gave 
up  the  attempt  on  finding  that  I  was  "  wasting  my  sweetness 
on  the  desert  air," 

Let  me  attempt  a  brief  description  of  these  Wa-teita.  The 
men,  as  in  all  lands,  do  not  merit  many  words.  They  are 
rather  below  the  average  size,  lean  and  spare,  though  wiry  and 
capable  of  considerable  endurance.  Their  absence  of  muscular 
development  betokens  a  want  of  strength.  Their  features 
may  be  described  as  a  cross  between  the  low  development  of 
the  negro  physiognomy  and  that  of  such  a  tribe  as  the  Galla 
or  Somali.  The  jaws  are  somewhat  pi'ognathous,  and  the  skull 
is  narrow.  Their  dress  is  a  scanty  cloth,  indifierently  wound 
about  the  loins  or  hung  from  one  shoulder  to  flutter  in  the 
breeze.  A  few  ornaments  of  brass,  small  native-made  chains, 
and  beads  are  noticeable  round  the  neck  and  arms.  Their 
weapons  are  a  knife,  a  long,  spatulate-shaped  sword,  and  the 
bow  and  arrow.  All  of  these  are  badly  made,  and  indicate  a 
want  of  pride  in  their  equipment.  Accustomed  to  their 
precipitous,  rugged  mountains,  they  find  that  the  spear  is 
comparatively  useless.  They  therefore  trust  more  to  the  bow 
and  arrow  used  from  behind  a  sheltering  rock.  The  Masai, 
armed  with  heavy  spears,  and  accustomed  to  the  plains,  have 
no  chance  with  the  Wa-teita  in  their  native  haunts. 

And  now  let  me  ask  the  gentle  reader,  who  is  sufficiently 
curious  and  not  too  bashful,  to  assist  at  the  toilet  of  a  swell 
M-teita  damsel.  On  entering  the  low  circular  hut  and  seat- 
ing ourselves  on  whatever  object  may  be  made  to  serve  the 
purpose  of  stools,  we  gradually,  by  the  glimmer  of  the  fire, 
and  through  the  stifling  heat  and  choking  smoke,  descry  our 
fair  friend,  who  intends  to  give  a  demonstration  of  how  they 
"  gild  refined  gold,  and  paint  the  lily  "  in  Africa.  As  our 
eyes  become  accustomed  to  the  gloom,  we  observe  that  she 
is  very  short  in  stature,  unusually  round  in  the  face,  and  with 
a  somewhat  projecting  facial  angle.  The  figure,  for  a  negress, 
is  not  bad,  though  wanting  in  that  pleasant  curve  at  the 
waist  wliicli  more  accords  with  our  idea  of  female  beauty. 
She  has  a  magnificent  development  of  limb,  and  is  as 
active  and  supple  as  a  snake.  The  expression  is  pleasant, 
and  the  glance  of  her  bright  eye  and  the  smile  on  her  lips  are 
lively  and  "  knowing." 

These  "points  "  we  take  in  at  a  glance,  and  become  still  more 
at  our  ease  on  being  speedily  made  aware  that  the  real  cloth, 
ing  of  the  demonstrator  is  already  on,  or  rather  has  never 
been  off.     This  is  a  coating  of  lamp  black  and  castor-oil. 


Toilet  of  ax  M-teita  Damsel. 


49 


which  emits  an  aroma  that  gallantry  compels  me  to  call 
pleasing,  but  which,  as  an  "  aside  "  to  the  reader,  I  confess 
to  be  simply  awful.  She  adds  a  new  coating  for  the  con- 
quests of  the  day,  and  shines,  in  the  glimmering  of  the  fire, 
like  a  snail  fresh  from  its  shell,  and  bent  on  an  evening 
stroll.  The  reader  will  here  take  note,  that  this  coating  of 
grease  and  dirt  is  the  only  protection  the  M-teita  has  against 
the  excessive  heats  of  the  day  and  the  chills  at  night.  It 
prevents  too  excessive  perspiration,  and  wards  off  chills. 
Before  receiving  her  visitors,  the  damsel  has  (it  will  be 
observed)  donned  a  small  piece  of  hide,  about  the  size  of  a 


WA-TEITA    WOMKX. 

lady's  pocket-handkerchief,  and  literally  covered  with  beads. 
Beliind  she  seems  to  have  got  possession  of  the  tails  of  a 
missionary's  dress-coat.  These  she  has  lengthened  out  a 
little  and  also  covered  with  beads,  in  various  patterns,  and 
now  they  dangle  and  flap  about  her  legs  in  the  most  airy 
manner.  Some,  however,  vary  this  fashion,  and  in  place  of 
the  two  tails  they  rejoice  in  the  posterior  half  of  a  highland 
kilt.  Our  equanimity  being  now  quite  restored,  and  decency 
being  satisfied,  when  we  see  an  opportimity  to  assist,  we  do 
60  with  alacrity.  The  hair  of  the  head  is  shaved  all  round 
the  temples,  till  only  a  circvdar  pat<ih  three  to  four  inches  in 


50  Through  Masai  Land. 

diameter  is  left  on  the  crown  of  the  head.  With  much 
labour  this  is  twisted  into  strings,  till  it  assumes  the  appear- 
ance of  a  mop.  Upon  each  string  separately  beads  of  various 
hues  are  threaded.  Eound  the  shaven  part  a  band  of  beads, 
two  inches  broad,  is  bound,  and  from  these  three  long  loose 
strings  depend  over  the  ears  to  below  the  shoulders.  The 
ears,  pierced  all  round  the  outer  auricle,  are  laden  with  heavy 
glass  rings,  till,  unable  to  bear  the  weight,  they  fold  over 
into  an  unsightly  lump.  An  inspection  of  the  eyelids  reveals 
the  fact  that  the  lashes  have  been  carefully  removed.  A 
slight  rub  here  and  there  with  a  file  puts  a  sharper  point  to 
the  crocodile-like  teeth,  and  the  head  is  finished  off.  From 
a  neighbouring  peg  about  thirty  large  strings  of  beads  are 
taken  down,  put  over  the  right  shoulder  and  underneath  the 
left  arm,  depending  to  the  waist  and  crossing  between  the 
breasts,  which  it  may  be  remarked  are  firm  and  well  shaped. 
A  similar  number  depend  from  the  opposite  shoulder. 
Above  these,  round  the  neck,  and  hanging  over  the  breast, 
are  next  placed  from  1 50  to  200  strings.  Over  all  a  huge 
ruff,  composed  of  a  solid  mass  of  beads,  three  to  four  inches  in 
diameter,  is  tied  round  the  neck,  actually  causing  the  chin  to 
be  elevated,  and  filling  up  the  whole  depression  under  it.  The 
waist  is  next  attended  to,  and  we  view  Avith  admiration  and 
astonishment  the  physical  strength  displayed,  and  the  deter- 
mination to  be  in  the  height  of  fashion  at  all  costs,  as  she  lays 
hold  of  from  200  to  300  more  strings,  with  a  variety  of  bead 
belts  and  bands,  and  bestows  them  in  that  region  which 
sentimental  youths  in  other  lands  like  to  encircle  with  their 
arms.  We  draw  a  breath  of  relief  as  we  observe  that  the 
main  masses  of  beads  are  disposed  of  and  only  the  arms  and 
legs  require  to  be  sheaved  in  closely-fitting  bands.  Thus 
having  contrived  to  stow  on  her  person  from  twenty  to 
thirty  pounds'  weight,  she  turns  herself  round,  to  receive 
the  tribute  of  admiration  plainly  depicted  in  our  faces, 
and  then  squats  down  to  rest,  after  the  serious  labour  of 
dressing.  Having  no  other  excuse  to  prolong  our  interview, 
we  lay  oiir  offerings  at  her  feet,  and  "  kwaheri  "  ourselves 
out,  drenched  in  perspiration,  and  as  sooty  from  the  smoke 
as  sweeps. 

The  "  private  view  "  being  over,  our  pleasant  friend  fills 
her  bag  with  Indian  corn,  and  proceeds  to  receive  public 
tokens  of  admiration  at  the  camp  and  enjoy  the  excitement 
dear  to  the  female  heart  of  haggling  over  the  price  of  her 
store. 


A  Wa-teita  Mabriage.  51 

The  mauners  and  customs  of  the  Wa-teita  need  not  be 
specially  dwelt  upon,  as  they  do  not  differ  in  any  notable 
respect  from  those  made  familiar  to  ns  by  all  writers  on 
East  Africa,  with  the  exception  probably  of  their  marriages, 
which  sliow  a  trace  of  a  former  mode  of  obtaining  a  wife  by 
capture — a  custom  which  I  have  noticed  nowhere  else  among 
the  tribes  I  have  visited.  When  an  M-teita  marries  he 
settles  the  preliminaries  with  the  father  in  accordance  with 
the  usual  negro  custom ;  that  is  to  say,  he  buys  her  for  three 
or  four  cows.  This  important  matter  settled,  the  girl  runs 
away  and  hides  among  distant  relatives  until  such  time  as 
her  betrothed  finds  out  her  hiding-place  and  catches  her. 
He  then  gets  some  of  his  friends,  who  carry  her  back  to  her 
future  home,  two  men  holding  her  up  by  the  legs  and  two 
by  the  arms,  shoulder  high,  amidst  much  singing  and  dancing, 
llie  four  men  who  carry  the  girl  are  said  to  be  rewarded  in  a 
very  peculiar  fashion.  On  arrival  at  the  house  the  newly 
married  pair  are  shut  up  for  three  days  without  food,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  the  bride  is  thoroughly  lubricated,  and 
loaded  with  beads  and  other  ornaments.  Then  she  is  con- 
veyed back  to  her  father's  house  by  a  bevy  of  dancing  and 
singing  girls.  After  the  lapse  of  some  time  she  returns,  and 
the  whole  affair  is  over. 

There  is  a  verj-  great  disproportion  between  the  .sexes,  the 
female  predominating  greatly,  and  yet  very  few  of  the  young 
men  are  able  to  marry  for  want  of  the  proper  number  of  cows 
— a  state  of  affairs  which  not  unfrequently  leads  to  marriage 
with  sisters,  though  this  practice  is  highly  reprobated. 

In  some  of  their  religious  practices  they  may  also  be  said 
to  differ  from  the  negroes  further  south.  Over  the  Teita 
mountains,  where  cultivation  and  the  great  need  of  fires  have 
combined  to  clear  off  almost  every  bush  and  tree,  there  are 
every  here  and  there  groves  left  untouched,  which  appear 
to  be  consecrated  to  the  shades  of  their  ancestors,  and  pro- 
bably represent  a  relic  of  a  former  worship  of  the  spirits  of 
Nature.  Here  the  dead  are  buried ;  and  in  the  privacy  of 
the  dense  bush,  and  the  fitting  gloom  of  the  checkered  shade, 
the  M-teita  retires  to  pray  either  to  the  ghosts  of  his  departed 
relatives,  or  to  the  Supreme  Being.  Such  are  the  more 
prominent  characteristics  of  the  Wa-teita. 

Bidding  Mr.  Wray  adieu,  the  men  being  now  somewhat 
recruited,  we  resume  our  way  westward.  After  a  very  long 
and  tiresome  march  over  a  low  range  of  hills,  by  a  footpath, 
more  an  irritating  tunnel  than  an  open  wav,  we  reached  the 

E   2 


52  Through  Masai  LaxN'd. 

Mutate  stream,  near  the  south  end  of  the  Bura  Range,  in  the 
district  of  Javia,  so  called  from  the  ruling  elder — chieftain- 
ship not  being  a  well-recognized  form  of  government  among 
the  Wa-teita.  We  camped  among  very  rich  plantations,  and 
enjoyed  nibbling  green  cobs  of  Indian  corn. 

Next  day  we  rounded  the  Bura  mountain,  by  a  pre- 
cipitous and  rugged  pathway  along  the  mountain  side.  We 
here  found  the  "  hongo  "  (or,  as  it  is  here  called,  "  fingo  ") 
system  of  extorting  black  mail  developed  in  a  most  annoying 
manner.  The  ruling  elder  of  every  village  passed  demanded 
his  tribute  with  so  much  boldness  and  arrogance,  that  in  one 
case  my  bile  was  raised,  and  I  "  went  for  "  the  extortioner 
in  such  a  manner,  that  in  his  fright  he  lost  his  footing,  and 
had  a  narrow  escape  of  being  pounded  into  jelly  by  rolling 
down  the  hill. 

The  rocks  we  passed  we  found  to  be  chiefly  schists,  with 
some  thick  beds  of  beautifully  white  crystalline  limestone, 
which  dip  north  at  an  angle  of  about  15°.  It  is  noticeable 
here  that  the  strike  of  the  rock  does  not  coincide  with  the 
major  axis  of  the  range. 

After  a  trying  march,  we  finally  reached  a  beautiful  little 
valley,  running  deep  into  the  mountain,  and  quite  up  to  the 
base  of  the  commanding  dome  of  Kilima  Kibomu.  Two  days 
were  spent  here,  collecting  food  for  the  march  to  Taveta, 
across  the  desert  plain,  from  which,  as  I  have  already  ex- 
plained, the  Teita  mountains  rise  up  like  an  archipelago  of 
islands.  An  attempt  to  ascend  to  the  top  of  Mount  Kibomu 
failed  through  the  stupidity  of  our  guide,  wlio  took  us  the 
wrong  road,  and  landed  me  finally  at  the  bottom  of  a  steep 
IDrecipice,  1000  feet  from  the  top.  I  here,  for  the  firet  time, 
noticed  the  wild  banana  growing  most  luxuriantly  in  the 
rich  damp  watercourses,  at  a"  height  of  6000  feet.  There 
was  also  a  glorious  profusion  of  tree  ferns,  brackens,  club 
mosses,  orchids,  heaths,  and  other  plants  of  a  temperate 
aspect.  The  trees  acquired  a  weird  and  venerable  look  from 
the  abimdance  of  waving  gr(\y-l)eard  moss  which  covered 
their  branches. 

The  necessary  food  collected,  and  I  having  "made 
brothers "  with  the  principal  elder  of  the  district,  we  pre- 
pared to  start.  Before  doing  so,  however,  we  had  a  narrow 
escape  from  committing  bloodshed.  In  the  hurry  of 
preparing  to  leave,  the  Wa-teita  took  advantage  of  the  con- 
fusion, seized  two  guns  in  the  middle  of  the  camp,  and  made 
for  the  bush.     Before  I  knew  what  was  up,  bang,  bang,  went 


On  the  Verge  of  a  Fight. 


53 


several  guns,  loads  were  thrown  down,  the  Wa-teita  fled 
screaming,  and  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  we  found  ourselves 
on  the  verge  of  a  fight.  Fortxmately  nobody  was  hurt.,  and  I 
soon  put  matters  right,  though  perhaps  after  all  it  would  have 
been  not  a  bad  thing  if  one  of  the  thieves  had  been  killed, 
as  they  have  become  notorious  for  their  plundering  propen- 
sities. The  Wa-teita,  however,  having  been  aroused  by  our 
shooting,  and  the  war-cry  having  brought  several  hundreds 


X-TSITA  OIKL. 


from  the  hills,  we  had  to  move  with  every  precaution,  ex- 
pecting every  moment  the  whiz  of  an  arrow  or  a  rush  upon 
some  more  or  less  unprotected  part.  We,  however,  looked 
too  bloodthirsty,  and  were  too  well  armed,  so  we  reached  the 
camp  of  Mikome-ni  safely. 

This  place  appears  in  the  map-  as  the  name  of  a  district, 
but  that  is  a  mistake,  as  it  is  only  a  Swahili  name  for  a  camp, 
meaning,  in  -fact,  the  place  of  the  mikomen-trees.     A  slave 


54  Through  Masai  Land. 

caravan  from  Chaga,  hearing  of  our  approach,  fled  in  terror 
into  the  jungle,  to  avoid  meeting  us. 

"We  were  to  have  started  at  2  a.m.  next  morning,  to  make 
a  forced  march  over  the  waterless  area  in  front,  but  during 
the  night  the  Wa-teita  gathered  about  in  such  numbers,  and 
made  so  many  attempts  to  steal,  that  we  gave  up  all  inten- 
tions of  going  on.  Clearly  they  meant  mischief,  and  would 
to  a  certainty  attack  us,  or  in  some  manner  cause  a  stampede 
the  moment  we  got  on  the  road. 

During  the  march  on  the  following  day,  I  shot  two  harte- 
beests,  a  giraffe,  and  a  zebra.  I  felt  somewhat  proud  of  my 
achievement,  and  my  men  were  exceedingly  happy,  as  they 
gorged  themselves  with  meat  over  the  camp-fires  after  a 
very  hard  march. 

We  resumed  our  tramp  at  3  a.m.,  and  pressed  on  through 
the  chilly  morning  air.  We  were  startled  every  now  and 
again  by  herds  of  zebras  dashing  across  our  path,  and  raising 
their  curious  half -whistle,  half-bark,  and  not  infrequently'  in 
the  dim  light  we  were  awe-struck  by  the  re-echoed  roars  of 
lions  "saying  grace  "  after  meat.  The  day  soon  dawned, 
and  through  a  terrific  heat,  we  plodded  on,  determined  to 
reach  Taveta  that  day.  It  was  not,  however,  till  6  p.m.  that 
the  main  body  of  the  caravan  bade  adieu  to  the  horrid  wastes 
and  burning  heats  of  the  Nyika,  and  found  grateful  shelter 
and  cool  water  in  the  shady  depths  of  one  of  the  most 
charming  forest  tracts  in  the  whole  of  East  Africa. 


CHAPTER  III. 

A   FORTNIGHT   IN    A    FOREST    FASTNESS. 

It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  delicious  feelings  of  relief 
which  we  experienced  on  suddenly  exchanging  the  burning 
heat  and  the  barren  wastes  of  the  Nyika  for  the  leafy 
labyrinths  and  bosky  bowers  of  the  little  African  Arcadia  of 
Taveta  on  that  eventful  evening  of  the  3 1st  of  March.  It  was 
as  if  we  had  passed  from  a  purgatory  to  a  paradise,  and  our 
recent  ordeal  had  prepared  us  to  appreciate  our  happiness  to 
the  utmost.  We  made  our  way  through  an  outer  barrier  of 
dense,  impenetrable  forest  and  undergrowth  of  bush,  by  a 
narrow  winding  tunnel,  squeezed  ourselves  through  the  small 
gateway,  and  stood  within  the  charmed  circle.     Here   wo 


An  African  Akcadu. 


55 


first  gave  voice  to  our  guns,  the  reports  of  which  echoed  and 
re-echoed  through  the  forest,  and  told  the  natives  in  well- 
understood  language  that  a  weary  caravan  had  entered  their 
precincts,  and  claimed  their  hospitality.  As  we  moved  on 
through  rich  banana  groves,  we  presently  heard  the  answering 
bang  of  guns  which  roared  out  hearty  welcomes,  and  soon  the 
very  trees  seem  to  thunder  forth  their  salaams,  as  from  all 
sides  was  kept  up  a  continuous  firing.  We  found  ourselves 
in  the  midst  of  a  very  network  of  purling  rills  and  artificial 
channels,  and  we  slaked  our  thirst  in  the  clear,  cool  water 


X  bit's   QlTi.BTSRS,   TAVBTA. 

with  intense  enjoyment  Then  natives  b^an  to  'appear, 
confirming  their  more  fiery  welcome  with  pleasant  "  Yambo, 
Yambos."  They  were  followed  by  more  excited  and 
demonstrative  Wa-swahili  traders,  who,  as  they  seized  and 
kissed  n^y  hand  with  their  salutation  of  "  Sabalkheir," 
opened  a  running  fire  of  questions,  amazed  at  the  totally 
unexpected  appearance  of  a  white  man's  caravan,  of  which 
they  had  heard  no  news.  Thus  convoyed  amid  the  renewed 
thundering  of  guns,  which  in  the  leafy  depths  of  the  forest 
sounded  like  cannon,  we  threaded  marvellously  rich  planta- 


56  Through  Masai  Land. 

tions,  and  finally  emerged  at  a  clearing  which  we  found  to 
be  the  headquarters  of  the  Wa-swahili  traders,  over  which 
presided  one  Dugumbi,  a  noted  "  nikuginzi,"  and  "  mganga." 
A  number  of  houses  like  those  familiar  at  the  coast  had  been 
built  here,  and  as  it  had  now  become  dark,  we,  amidst  much 
confusion,  camped  for  the  night.  The  men,  deadbeat  by 
their  killing  march,  were  only  too  glad  to  throw  down  their 
loads  anyhow,  and,  regardless  of  empty  stomachs,  stow  them- 
selves away  out  of  sight.  However,  by  dint  of  much  yelling 
and  shouting,  we  got  the  tents  put  up  provisionally.  In  these 
the  goods  were  stowed  safely  away,  and  before  we  finally 
turned  in  for  the  night  sufficient  food  was  got  together  to 
stay  the  cravings  of  hunger. 

Next  day  was  devoted  to  rest.  To  get  clear  of  the  noise 
and  clamour,  and  the  many  unlovely  sights  and  smells  of 
the  general  camp,  I  removed  my  tent  some  distance  off,  and 
embowered  myself  in  a  charming  nook  of  the  forest,  leaving 
Martin  to  superintend  the  men. 

I  now  found  I  had  a  work  of  no  small  mag-nitude  before 
me,  which  I  had  not  anticipated.  The  whole  of  my 
beads  had  to  be  restrung  into  the  regulation  lengths  of 
the  Masai  country.  Unless  in  this  form,  they  would 
not  be  accepted,  and  there  would  be  absolutely  no  oppor- 
tunity for  doing  them  on  the  march.  Before  I  could  leave 
Taveta,  therefore,  60,000  strings  had  to  be  made  up.  But 
this  was  not  all.  Cloth  was  accepted  by  the  Masai  only 
in  the  shape  of  ready-made  war-dresses,  known  as  naibere. 
These  consisted  of  about  six  feet  of  cotton,  down  the  centre 
of  which  a  strip  of  crimson  or  checked  cloth  is  sewn,  the 
cross  threads  of  the  ends  being  taken_out  to  form  a  fringe.  Of 
these  naiberes  300  had  to  be  prepared.  Besides  all  this,  a 
variety  of  other  prelmiinary  arrangements  had  to  be  made. 
It  thus  became  very  clear,  much  to  my  annoyance,  that  a 
detention  of  some  length  was  before  me. 

After  settling  the  question  of  tribute  or  hongo  with  the 
elders  and  the  young  men,  and  making  my  complimentary 
presents  to  Dugumbi  and  the  headman  of  a  caravan  which 
had  just  reached  Taveta  from  the  Masai  country  after  losing 
100  men  by  disease,  I  set  myself  seriously  on  the  second  day 
to  tlie  pressing  work  of  preparation.  Those  who  were  expert 
with  the  needle  were  started  on  the  war-dresses,  and  the  rest 
set  to  string  beads.  Some  were  sent  to  bring  the  leaves  of 
the  Mwale  palm  (Raphia).  Others  from  the  fibre  prepared 
strings,  and  the  remainder  did  the  stringing.     To  have  some 


Peculation  and  its  Punishment.  57 

check  upon  the  men,  the  beads  were  measured  out  to  each 
one,  and  all  the  headmen  employed  as  detectives  to  minimize 
as  far  as  possible  the  stealing.  Fearful  penalties  were 
threatened  to  backsliders,  and  rewards  promised  to  the  honest 
and  the  diligent,  and  then,  after  emphasizing  both  with  the 
properscowl  for  prosi>ective  thieves  and  encouraging  smiles  for 
the  better  class,  I  set  them  to  work.  In  the  evening,  when 
the  work  was  finished  and  brought  back  for  examination,  I 
was  thrown  into  the  depths  of  despair.  I  had  had  some  faint 
hopes  that  their  moral  regeneration  had  advanced  a  step  since 
they  left  the  coast  I  was  doomed  to  bitter  disappointment. 
Kot  a  man  brought  back  the  amount  he  received.  Out  of 
about  four  loads  distributed,  nearly  an  entire  load  was 
wanting.  WTiat  was  I  to  do  under  the  circumstances  1  I 
could  not  thrash  the  entire  caravan,  and  yet  something  must 
be  done  if  I  hoped  to  check  the  stealing.  In  the  end  I 
selected  two  men  from  each  khambi  (mess),  and  made 
Brahim  give  each  one  several  sovmd  strokes  with  a  stick. 
Their  rations  also  were  stopped  for  the  day.  After  a  disgust- 
ing rumpus  all  round,  the  day's  work  ended  with  loud-voiced 
protestations  of  innocence  from  the  men,  and  threats  of 
desertion.  Though  externally  calm  and  smiling,  I  was 
boiling  with  rage  and  mortification.  I  was  determined, 
moreover,  that  on  no  account  would  I  give  in,  as  it  would 
never  do  to  have  it  an  open  question  as  to  whether  or  not  my 
authority  was  to  be  respected. 

That  same  evening  I  took  possession  of  the  men's  guns, 
and  placed  a  strong  guard,  with  the  usual  bloodthirsty  orders. 
With  much  ostentation,  I  loaded  my  heavy  express  rifle,  and, 
in  the  hearing  of  some  of  the  men,  arranged  with  Martin 
to  divide  the  night  in  keeping  a  look-out. 

Next  tlay  matters  were  very  much  improved,  and  I  saw 
that  I  had  become  master  of  the  situation,  though  I  may 
mention  that  out  of  about  thirty  loads  of  beads,  two 
were  stolen  in  the  process  of  stringing,  in  spite  of  every 
precaution. 

Life  at  Taveta,  however,  was  not  all  worrj-  and  toil. 
Indeed,  it  was  in  many  respects  quite  the  reverse.  Agreeable 
strolls  in  the  cool  of  the  evening  were  pleasingly  varied  by 
native  levees,  and  by  seances,  in  which,  in  the  character  of 
the  "  Wizard  of  the  Xorth,"  I  aroused  profound  admiration 
by  my  galvanic  battery,  evoking  cries  of  consternation,  or 
producing  fits  of  laughter,  according  as  the  people  were  being 
operated  on,  or  only  spectators  of  the  tortures  of  others.     As 


58  Through  Masai  Land. 

for  food,  fish,  fowl,  eggs,  mutton  or  goat,  tomatoes,  sweet 
potatoes,  yams,  manioc  or  cassava,  green  maize,  sugar-cane, 
golden  bananas,  and  vegetables  of  various  kinds  supplied 
our  table  with  an  agreeable  diversity  and  a  rich  profusion 
such  as  I  have  nowhere  else  experienced  in  Africa.  Our 
life  here  might  have  been  described  as  perfection — for  Africa 
— but  for  the  troubles  with  the  men,  which  certainly  were  a 
considerable  alloy  to  our  pleasure. 

Having  thus  become  well  acquainted  with  our  surround- 
ings, and  got  the  work  of  preparation  fairly  set  a-going,  with 
some  idea  of  discipline  and  a  higher  moral  tone  persuasively 
instilled  into  the  men,  we  may  relax  the  fixed  scowl  with 
which  we  have  made  the  delinquents  quail,  and,  putting  on 
our  holiday  look,  proceed  on  a  circular  tour  of  investigation 
in  the  forest  and  suburbs  of  Taveta.  Let  me  invite  my 
readers  as  a  select  party  to  accompany  me. 

It  is  an  April  morning,  and  we  are  up  with  the  dawn. 
Before  the  sun  has  passed  the  horizon  we  have  demolished 
our  breakfast  with  a  capital  appetite.  Our  guns  are  taken 
in  hand  ;  all  the  necessary  array  of  knives,  belts,  bags,  &c., 
buckled  or  slung  about  our  persons,  and  with  the  due  fol- 
lowing of  "  boys,"  we  are  oif  on  our  expedition.  We  pass 
through  the  camp,  and  see  that  the  men  have  commenced 
work,  and  after  giving  the  manager  directions  for  the  day, 
Ave  leave  behind  us  the  filth  and  ugliness  of  the  Swahili 
village,  and  plunge  into  one  of  those  ideal,  leafy  labyrinths 
with  which  the  popular  imagination  inclines  to  clothe 
equatorial  regions,  but  which  the  toil-worn  African  traveller 
so  seldom  sees. 

As  we  hie  merrily  along  the  bower-like  pathway  we  are 
soon  lost  in  admiration  of  the  glorious  masses  of  vegetation 
which  everywhere  meet  our  eye.  Nature  Avantons  in  the 
production  of  magnificent  trees,  Avhich  in  many  instances 
spring  up  branchless  eighty  to  one  hundred  feet  before 
spreading  out  in  a  splendid  umbrageous  canopy.  The 
branches  interlace  Avith  those  of  the  surrounding  trees  till 
only  a  faint  checkered  light  passes  through  to  dance  and 
quiver  below  in  the  manner  of  innumerable  Avill-o'-the-wisps. 
Though  the  trees  are  uubranched  to  those  heights,  yet  you 
Avill  perceive  that  Ave  are  not  Avandering  in  a  forest  of  stems 
only,  like  the  masts  in  some  croAvded  harbour.  Far  other- 
wise ;  from  every  point  of  vantage  pliant  creepers,  loaded 
with  foliage,  SAving  from  tree  to  tree  or  hang  in  graceful  dark 
green  masses  down  the  sturdy  trunk.     Beautiful  j)alms, — the 


The  Tavetan  Forest.  59 

raphia,  and  the  hyphene,  or  wild  date — flowering  shrubs,  a 
profusion  of  ferns,  and  here  and  there  a  flowering  plant,  fill 
up  the  interspaces  till  the  eye  becomes  bewildered  by  the 
crowding  and  the  rank  profusion.  Monkeys  give  animation 
to  the  scene,  and  by  their  lively  movements  and  incessant 
barking  attract  attention.  Flocks  of  hombills  fly  from  tree 
to  tree,  jarring  the  ear  ■with,  their  unmusical  calls.  Squirrels, 
now  hiding  behind  a  tree-trunk  or  climbing  with  wonderful 
celerity,  anon  pausing  with  wondering  gaze,  according  as 
alarm  or  curiosity  has  the  ascendency,  are  noted  among  other 
sights.  Numerous  foot-prints  tell  of  the  hyaena  hidden  away 
in  the  dense  bush  till  the  shades  of  night  allow  it  to 
commence  its  ghoul-like  rounds.  From  the  forest  we  hear 
the  pleasing  ripple  of  water  over  a  stony  bed,  and  pushing 
forward,  we  emerge  at  last,  to  find  ourselves  on  the  banks  of  the 
snow- fed  Lumi,  which  rising  at  the  base  of  the  Kimawenzipeak 
of  Kilimanjaro,  after  a  subterranean  passage  from  the  shattered 
cloud-sucking  pinnacle,  finds  its  way  south  to  Lake  Jipe,  and, 
spreading  under  ground,  nourishes  the  glorious  Tavetan  forest 
and  ensures  fertility  throughout  the  year.  Its  banks, 
bedecked  with  maiden-hair  ferns  and  creef)ers,  and  its  noble 
arboreal  arch  invite  us  to  pause  and  refresh  ourselves.  Ita 
gentle  murmuring  finds  an  echo  in  our  souls,  and  under  ita 
soothing  charm  we  become  lotus-eaters,  and  rise  above  this 
prosaic  world  of  ours  to  visit  in  our  imagination  some  rest- 
ful, idyllic  dreamland,  and  sip  the  essence  of  the  golden 
year. 

Tempted  by  the  delicious  coolness  and  the  crystalline 
purity  of  its  waters,  we  resolve  to  try  its  liquid  depths  and 
are  soon  revelling  in  a  glorious  bath.  Resuming  our  peram- 
bulations, we  find  fresh  and  ever-varied  scenes  to  attract  our 
attention.  Here  a  zigzag  pathway  leads  us  to  a  native  com- 
pound hidden  in  extraordinary  masses  of  verdure,  perfectly 
impenetrable  except  by  a  very  narrow  pathway,  and  a  still 
more  narrow,  strongly  built  gateway.  Behind  this  the  natives 
can  bid  defiance  to  the  Masai,  who  have  on  one  or  two 
occasions  contrived  to  penetrate  inside  the  forest,  though  few 
have  ever  got  out  alive  again  to  teU  the  tale.  We  find  the 
compound  to  consist  of  two  or  three  huts  of  bee-hive  shape, 
and  thatched  with  banana  leaves.  As  we  peep  inside  our 
nostrils  are  suddenly  assailed  by  a  powerful  odour.  Pushing 
in,  we  find  the  cause  of  it  to  be  two  cows  stalled  within. 
They  are  beautiful  fat  animals,  and  are  never  allowed  outside, 
their  food  being  cut  and  brought  to  them.     Behind  the  cows 


60  Throdgh  Masai  Land. 

are  a  few  poles  over  which  is  stretched  a  dressed  bullock's- 
hide.  This  forms  the  bed  of  the  lady  of  the  house  and  of 
her  lord,  when  he  takes  a  fancy  to  sleep  there — for  he, 
having  several  other  huts  and  wives,  each  with  her  own  cows, 
has  no  fixed  residence,  though  he  naturally  pays  more  atten- 
tion to  some  favourite  wife. 

There  is  little  inside  worth  description  beyond  the  cus- 
tomary collection  of  cooking  utensils,  water  and  beer  pots, 
calabashes  for  milk,  small,  hollowed-out  cylinders  of  wood 
for  honey,  and  baskets  for  the  various  kinds  of  grain.  In 
odd  nooks,  beads,  cloth,  &c.,  are  stowed  away.  The  cooking 
is  performed  outside,  where  also  may  be  observed  a  number 
of  gambolling  kids  and  goats,  mixed  with  the  more  sedate 
sheep.  Cocks  establish  themselves  on  the  housetops,  while 
the  less  venturesome  hen  clucks  with  her  chirping  brood 
on  lower  levels. 

After  some  pleasant  chat  with  the  inhabitants,  we  bow 
ourselves  out  to  continue  our  exploration.  Scarcely  have  we 
resumed  our  walk  when  our  attention  is  attracted  to  a  strange 
object.  Pushing  forward,  we  find  an  illustration  of  a  curious 
burial  custom  of  the  natives  of  Taveta.  After  death  the 
body  is  buried  in  a  sitting  posture,  the  left  arm  resting  on 
the  knee  and  the  head  supported  by  the  hand,  the  contrary 
arm  and  hand  being  used  by  the  women.  When  they  have 
remained  sufficiently  long  to  be  reduced  to  skeletons,  the 
skulls  of  the  man  and  his  chief  wife  are  taken  out,  and  placed 
in  deep,  oval- shaped  pots.  These  are  laid  on  their  sides  at 
the  base  of  dracoena-trees  in  the  centre  of  his  plantation, 
where,  in  the  shape  of  good  spirits,  they  keep  watch  and  ward 
over  the  welfare  of  the  crops.  A  more  queer  and  ghastly 
thing  cannot  be  imagined  than  the  sight  of  these  skulls  grin- 
ning inside  the  dark  pots.  AVhy  dracoena-trees  should  be 
selected  I  do  not  know,  except  that  they  take  root  easily  and 
grow  quickly,  besides  always  remaining  green,  and  not  taking 
up  too  much  room  or  growing  too  large. 

From  this  strange  sight  our  attention  is  now  diverted  by 
the  sounds  of  tinkling  bells,  and  a  jingling  sound  as  of  loose 
iron  bangles  striking  against  each  other.  Looking  around  to 
see  the  cause,  we  observe  an  elderly  female  with  an  austere 
and  severe  aspect  slowly  emerging  from  the  banana  grove, 
with  measured  tread,  and  carrying  a  wand  fitted  to  inspire 
respect  in  the  bosoms  of  mischievous  urchins.  Behind  this 
ancient  dame  (in  whom  the  striking  absence  of  charms  is  not 
compensated  by  a  profusion  of  cither  clothes  or  ornaments) 


An  Ixtekesting  Announcement.  61 

marches,  with  ambling  step,  a  plump  female,  tender  and 
twenty.  Bound  her  head  is  a  band  of  leather,  ornamented  with 
cowrie  shells.  From  this  hangs  a  perfect  veil  of  iron  chain, 
which  almost  completely  hides  the  face,  and  falls  over  the 
bosom.  Round  her  neck  and  waist  are  disposed  heaps  of 
beads  and  iron  chains,  almost  rivalling  the  Teita  ladies  in 
amount.  A  dressed  skin  forms  her  clothing,  while  arms  and 
legs  are  loaded  w^th  iron  and  brass  wire  of  the  thickness  of 
telegraph  wire.  About  her  person  are  disposed  a  number  of 
bells,  and  round  the  ankles  are  numerous  iron  bangles,  which 
herald  her  approach  for  some  distance  ahead.  We  greet 
with  due  resj^ect  the  grim  duenna,  smile  more  knowingly  at 
her  charge,  and  let  them  pass,  slowly  picking  each  step  .is  if 
they  were  among  thorns.  You  ask  "  What  is  the  meaning 
of  this  display  f "  "  Has  Spain  transferred  its  system  of 
female  espionage  to  Africa  ? "  By  no  means.  The  secret  of 
the  mystery  is  simply  this.  The  young  lady  has  been  lately 
married,  and  is  now  in — I  blush  to  mention  it — an  interesting 
condition.  Proudly  she  struts  forth  in  all  the  pride  proper 
to  such  a  situation — delighted  doubtless  to  announce  to  the 
world  at  Lirge,  or  at  least  to  some  hated  rival,  by  the  music 
of  the  bells,  her  pleasing  expectations.  She  is  at  this  period 
fattened  and  pampered  like  a  fowl  for  the  market.  She  is 
not  allowed  to  exert  herself  in  the  least,  and  if  she  must  go 
out  to  receive  the  congratulations  of  her  friends,  she  must  be 
accompanied  by  a  stiiid  chaperon,  who,  marching  in  front, 
watches  over  her  welfare,  and  prevents  her  being  startled  or 
otherwise  inconvenienced.  On  these  occa.sions  she  is  always 
loaded  with  all  the  ornaments  that  can  be  got,  more  especially 
the  iron  veil  and  the  bells,  which  are  the  distinctive  marks. 
The  appearance  of  a  second  child  is  not  heralded  in  the  same 
manner ;  little  notice,  indeed,  is  taken  of  the  event. 

I  may  here  mention  that  marriage  among  the  Wa-taveta  is 
a  matter  of  so  many  bullocks.  When  a  young  man  takes  a 
fancy  to  a  girl  he  arranges  the  matter  with  the  father,  and 
agrees  to  give  so  many  head  of  cattle.  If  he  is  able  to  give 
the  requisite  number  at  once,  then  the  marriage  is  con- 
summated without  delay.  This,  however,  seldom  happens. 
On  the  actual  presentation  of  the  first  bullock,  the  girl  is 
henceforth  "  sealed "  to  him.  She  is  not  allowed  to  go 
outside  the  house  till  after  dark,  and  may  on  no  account  see 
a  man,  not  even  her  betrothed.  If  the  man  is  poor,  the 
engagement  frequently  extends  over  a  term  of  years,  till  the 
last  bullock  is  paid  up.     After  marriage  the  most  astounding 


62  Through  Masai  Land. 

laxity  prevails.  Conjugal  fidelity  is  unknown,  and  certainly 
not  expected  on  either  side  ;  they  might  almost  be  described 
as  a  colony  of  free  lovers. 

Continuing  our  walk,  we  hurry  on  through  charming 
glades,  and  rich  plantations  irrigated  by  artificial  canals,  and 
as  we  look  around  on  the  more  open  prospect,  we  cannot 
but  conclude  that  though  it  may  be  ridiculous  excess  for  man 
to  paint  the  lily,  yet  he  may  assist  nature  in  letting  the  lily 
be  seen  to  advantage — and  so  indirectly  improve  its  beauty. 
Here  we  see  single  trees  rising  in  stately  grandeur,  and 
showing  ofi"  their  fine  proportions  ;  there,  a  pleasing  group 
set  on  green  soft  grass,  offers  grateful  shade  without  dis- 
comfort. Eich  crops  of  golden  maize  or  grey  millet  wave  to 
the  passing  breeze,  while  great  bunches  of  splendid 
bananas  bend  down  the  soft  and  cellular  stems.  The  whole 
place  seems  to  be  kaleidoscopic  in  its  infinite  variety  of 
changing  scene,  in  its  wonderful  combination  of  the  grand 
and  the  graceful,  of  form  and  colour.  It  wants  but  a  few 
more  brilliant  hues,  a  greater  abundance  of  flitting,  iridescent 
butterflies  and  dragon-flies,  some  more  gorgeously  coloured 
birds,  and  a  few  monstrosities  in  beetles  to  make  the  picture 
ideally  perfect. 

But  now,  lest  these  scenes  get  too  great  a  hold  upon  my 
imagination,  and  lay  me  open  to  a  charge  of  eastern  extrava- 
gance of  thought,  or  of  "  exuberant  verbosity  "  allied  to  the 
rank  profusion  we  have  just  left,  let  me  ask  my  readers  to 
gather  round  me  under  the  shade  of  the  palaver-tree  of  the 
natives,  while  I  try  to  convey  some  further  general  ideas 
about  Taveta  and  its  inhabitants. 

Lend  your  imagination  as  well  as  your  ears,  while  I  ask 
you  to  climb  up  to  some  neighbouring  peak  or  point  of 
vantage,  to  take  in  a  bird's-eye  view  of  your  surroundings. 
You  perceive  that  Taveta — the  invulnerable  and  impenetrable 
— is  a  slight  depression  near  the  south-east  comer  of  the 
great  snow-clad  mountain  of  Kilimanjaro,  and  lying,  as  our 
barometric  observations  show,  at  a  height  of  2400  feet. 
This  depression  is  covered  with  the  dense  forest  which  we 
have  just  described,  and  covers  no  greater  an  area  than  a 
mile  broad,  and  seven  miles  long  from  north  to  south.  It 
may,  however,  be  better  described  as  delta-shaped— the  apex 
being  towards  the  north,  and  the  base  subtended  by  Lake 
Jipe.  The  line  of  demarcation  between  the  most  remarkable 
tropical  luxuriance  and  utter  barrenness  and  sterility,  is  one 
of  astonishing  abruptness.     There  is  no  gradual  alteration, 


Physical  Chabacteristics  of  Taveta.     63 

but  with  a  couple  of  steps  you  change  the  entire  scene. 
This  is  not  difficult  to  explain.  The  forest  covers  an  almost 
level  strip  of  rich,  alluvial  soil,  brought  down  from  the 
mountain  by  the  perennial  Lumi,  which  runs  through  the 
centre  to  the  lake  on  the  south,  and  probably  has  thus  silted 
up  a  former  creek-like  extension.  The  Lumi,  however,  is 
not  entirely  confined  to  the  limits  of  its  banks.  On  the 
contrary,  it  spreads  away  underground  by  many  subterranean 
channels,  and  thus  ever  keeps  the  ground  moist —  so  much 
so  that  at  almost  any  point  water  can  be  reached  at  from  one 
to  two  feet  in  depth ;  hence  the  remarkable  fertility. 
Where  the  ground  begins  to  rise  the  water,  of  course,  does 
not  come  near  the  surface,  and,  as  but  little  rain  falls 
throughout  the  year,  only  plants  which  thrive  in  the  most 
arid  soil  can  there  contrive  to  exist  The  Lumi  also  marks 
the  line  of  contact  between  two  very  different  geological 
formations,  namely,  the  volcanic  lavas  from  Kilimanjaro,  and 
the  schists  and  gneisses  of  the  metamorphic  area. 

The  people  are  a  mixed  race,  a  blending  of  the  Bantu 
races  of  Central  and  South  Africa  with  the  Hamitic  tribes 
of  the  Xile  and  Xorth  Africa,  the  Bantu  races  being  repre- 
sented by  the  Wa-taveta,  who  are  closely  related  to  the 
Wa-chaga  and  the  Wa-teita  ;  the  Hamitic  tril^es  by  that  clan 
of  the  great  Masai  nation  (known  to  the  "Wa-swahili  as 
Wa-kwafi),  who,  after  a  series  of  disasters,  were  driven  from 
their  original  homes  in  the  plains  around  Teita,  Jipe  and 
U-sambara,  and  scattered  over  the  country.  In  the  sequel 
I  shall  take  occasion  to  enter  more  particularly  into  the 
history  of  this  clan.  I  need  but  say  at  present  that  a  few 
Masai  (Wa-kwafi),  having  lost  all  their  cattle,  and  being 
threatened  with  starvation,  laid  aside  their  deep-rooted 
prejudices  against  the  menial  task  of  cultivating  the  soil,  as 
well  as  various  cherished  customs  and  traditions,  and  threw 
in  their  lot  with  the  Wa-taveta.  And  now,  so  thoroughly 
amalgamated  are  they  in  ideas,  customs,  &c.,  that  it  has 
become  difficult  to  distinguish  the  two  different  races. 

The  "Wa-kwafi  are  characterized  by  a  finer  physique 
(which  indeed  is  sometimes  well  worthy  of  the  atiniration 
of  the  sculptor),  a  superior  physiognomy,  more  prominent 
cheek-bones,  and  a  tendency  to  a  Mongolian  upward  slant  of 
the  eyes.  The  young  men  dress  in  the  manner  of  their 
ancestors,  though  the  older  men  have  to  some  extent 
approximated  to  coast  notions.  The  pecidiar  manner  of 
circumcision  proper  to  the  Masai  has  also  been  retained     In 


64  Through  Masai  Land. 

most  other  respects,  however,  they  have  altered  their  ideas 
to  harmonize  with  the  pure-bred  Wa-taveta.  Perhaps  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  changes  is  in  the  matter  of  honesty. 
From  being  the  most  notorious  and  audacious  thieves  in  all 
Africa  they  have  become  distinctly  the  reverse,  while 
without  loss  of  their  original  bravery  they  have  laid  aside 
their  bloodthirsty  ideas  and  fondness  for  war.  Though  a 
mere  handful  of  men,  yet,  secure  in  their  arboreal  fortress, 
they  have  bid  defiance  to  great  hordes  of  Masai,  and  even 
snapped  their  fingers  at  the  more  crafty  Mandara,  the 
warrior-chief  of  Chaga,  who  has  long  dreamt  of  seizing  their 
stronghold,  and  thus  getting  command  of  the  caravan  route. 
I  can  safely  say  that  nowhere  have  I  met  such  pleasing  and 
manly  natives  over  the  whole  extent  of  country  I  have  yet 
traversed  in  Africa.  We  struck  up  a  very  great  friendship, 
which  remained  unbroken  by  a  single  incident  and  forms  one 
of  my  most  agreeable  recollections. 

I  have  spoken  of  Taveta  as  an  Arcadia  in  respect  of  its 
charming  scenes.  I  may  now  say  that  the  natives  hardly 
detract  from  the  poetical  picture.  True  Arcadians  they  are 
in  their  peaceable  habits,  their  great  hospitality,  their 
mauly,  pleasant  manners,  and  surprising  honesty. 

To  the  traders  from  the  coast,  Taveta  has  always  been  a 
place  of  great  importance.  Situated  at  the  very  threshold  of 
the  Masai  country,  offering  perfect  security  to  whosoever 
would  enter,  and  further  recommended  by  its  abundance  of 
food  and  the  character  of  its  natives,  it  has  most  naturally  been 
made  a  resting  and  recruiting  station  for  caravans  proceeding 
to  or  coming  from  the  Masai  country.  No  caravan  can  pass 
without  a  stay,  on  one  pretext  or  another,  of  from  a  fortnight 
to  a  couple  of  months,  and  as  all  such  visitors  are  fed  almost 
entirely  at  the  expense  of  their  numerous  native  friends,  it  is 
an  agreeable  and  cheap  way  of  spending  the  time  where  time 
is  no  object. 

Such,  then,  gentle  readers,  are  the  main  facts  regarding 
your  surroundings,  and  the  denizens  thereof.  And  now,  if 
you  have  finished  eating  those  delicious  bananas,  and  chewed 
sugar-cane  till  the  sweet  juice  has  palled  upon  you,  we  may 
resume  our  tramp  down  the  few  remaining  miles  which  sepa- 
rate us  from  Lake  Jipe,  which  we  so  recently  saw  glimmering 
in  the  distance. 

As  we  emerge  from  the  shady  grove  we  stand  entranced  by 
a  lovely  sight  which  unexpectedly  breaks  on  our  view.  For 
many  days  we  have  been  at  the  base  of  Kilimanjaro,  and  yet 


First  Glimpse  op  Kilimanjaro.  65 

not  a  glimpse  has  rewarded  our  frequent  attempts  to  view  its 
cloud-piercing  heights.  We  have  begun  almost  to  ask  our- 
selves if  we  are,  after-all,  to  be  doomed  to  the  mere  "  mental 
recognition  "  ascribed  to  Rebmann.  Happily  such  is  not  to 
be  our  fate.  The  "  Mount  Olympus  "  of  these  parts  stands 
forth  revealed  in  all  its  glory  fitly  framed  by  the  neighbour- 
ing trees.  There  is  the  grand  dome  or  crater  of  Kibo,  with 
its  snow  cap  glancing  and  scintillating  like  burnished  silver 
ill  the  rays  of  the  afternoon  sun,  and  there,  on  its  eastern  flank, 
as  a  striking  contrast,  rise  the  jagged  outlines  of  the  craggy 
jioak  of  Kimawenzi.  What  words  can  adequately  describe 
this  glimpse  of  majestic  grandeur  and  godlike  repose  ?  We 
can  only  stand  speechless  with  feelings  of  awe.  But  our 
opportunity  is  brief.  The  veil  has  merely  been  temporarily 
lifted,  and  now  huge,  fleecy-white  cumulus  clouds  roll  and 
tumble  along  the  fides  of  the  great  mountain  till  only  the 
black  pinnacle  and  the  glittering  dome  are  seen  projected 
against  the  pure  azure,  and  hanging  apparently  in  mid-heaven 
more  impressive  than  ever.  At  last  a  veU  of  stratus  mysteri- 
ously spreads  itself  out.  In  a  few  seconds  the  whole  scene 
has  vanished,  "  like  the  baseless  fabric  of  a  vision,"  and  we  find 
ourselves  blankly  staring  at  a  monotonous  expanse  of  grey. 

Turning  with  a  sigh,  we  hurry  rapidly  towards  Jipe  as  if, 
after  such  a  scene,  nothing  else  was  worthy  of  special  notice. 
We  cross  some  beautiful  park-like  country,  crush  our  way 
through  the  outer  barrier,  and  find  ourselves  iu  the  grass 
jungle  to  the  north  of  the  lake.  Here  we  come  upon  lots  of 
game,  and  soon  bag  for  the  pot  two  pallah  and  one  water- 
buck,  and  leaving  men  to  cut  them  up,  we  speedily  reach  the 
object  of  our  tramp.  Jipe  we  find  to  be  a  shallow  expanse 
of  water  lying  at  the  base  of  the  Ugono  mountains,  which 
rise  precipitously  into  a  picturesque  range  of  much  grandeur, 
though  the  outlines  are  simple,  and  the  top  flat.  The  height 
of  these  mountains  is  little  over  7000  feet,  and  the  numerous 
columns  of  curling  smoke  tell  of  inhabitants  similar  to  the 
Wa-teita.  The  lake  lies  at  an  altitude  of  2350  feet.  It  is 
about  ten  miles  from  north  to  south,  and  only  some  three 
miles  broad.  It  is  comparatively  shallow,  and  may  indeed 
be  described  as  a  backwater  of  the  Lumi  formed  by  the 
subsidence  of  the  ground,  due  doubtless,  as  is  so  often  the 
case  in  similar  positions,  to  withdrawal  of  the  matter  ejected 
by  Kilimanjaro  in  its  days  of  activity  as  a  volcano.  It  con- 
tains several  schools  of  hippos,  a  few  crocodiles,  and  a  great 
number  of  capital  fish,  which  also  find  their  way  up  the 

F 


66  Theough  Masai  Land. 

Lumi.  At  the  point  where  this  stream  enters  the  lake, 
another  flowinf,'  west  gives  exit  to  the  snrphis  water,  and  con- 
veys it  to  tlie  Kufu  or  Pangani  river. 

The  lengthening  shadows,  however,  tell  us  that  the  day  is 
rapidly  coming  to  a  close,  and  if  we  do  not  want  to  be  belated 
in  the  forest  midst  howling  hyenas  and  roaring  lions,  we 
must  step  out  in  no  lackadaisical  inanner.  In  an  hour  we 
are  once  more  back  to  the  native  plantations.  We  get 
another  glimpse  of  Kilimanjaro,  and  have  several  charming 
peeps  at  the  winding  Lvmii. 

But  now  listen  !  Wliat  is  the  meaning  of  that  full- voiced, 
sonorous  song  which  wells  forth  from  the  depths  of  the 
forest,  and  echoes  through  the  trees  in  ever-increasing 
volume  1  That  is  the  music,  to  which  the  natives,  following 
the  Masai  customs,  tread  a  measure.  No  thundering  drum 
or  yelling  native  clarionet,  as  elsewhere,  supplies  the 
rhythmic  sounds  and  accentuates  the  varying  movement.  A 
less  spirited  though  decidedly  more  musical,  "  Ho-oh  !  Oh- 
ho  ! "  monotonously  reiterated  fills  the  woodland  with  its 
rolling  resonance.  Ah  !  there  they  are  !  A  group  of  young 
men  and  maidens  in  that  pretty  nook.  See  what  splendidly 
proportioned  athletes,  with  hair  rolled  into  strings  which 
hang  like  a  mop  over  their  heads,  small  kidskin  garments 
flung  over  their  shoulders  or  hanging  by  their  sides,  and  a 
glorious  layer  of  grease  and  clay  plastered  on  lavishly  from 
head  to  foot.  The  girls,  with  only  an  luider  girdle  round  the 
loins,  and  loaded  with  beads,  clay,  and  grease,  make  a 
piquant  element  in  the  scene.  They  stop  for  a  moment  as 
we  approach ;  but  soon  they  resume  the  dance  with  fresh 
vigour  and  unabated  enthusiasm.  You  stand  with  astonish- 
ment to  view  the  extraordinary  and  laborious  manner  in 
which  the  natives  enjoy  themselves.  A  young  man  advances, 
holding  a  wand  in  his  hand.  His  arms  hang  straight  down. 
At  first  he  hops  forward  like  a  bird,  till,  reaching  the  centre, 
he  commences  a  series  of  leaps  straight  into  the  air,  Mdthout 
bending  his  legs  or  moving  his  arms.  Ever  and  anon  he 
gives  his  head  a  hitch  forward,  bringing  his  long  back  hair 
over  his  face.  After  springing  in  this  manner  about  a  dozen 
times,  he  steps  aside,  and  another  takes  his  place,  till  all  have 
gone  through  their  paces.  Then  with  wilder  movement  they 
trot  round  in  a  variety  of  evolutions,  and  so  the  dance  ends, 
to  be  resumed  again  in  precisely  the  same  manner.  Try  to 
do  exactly  what  you  have  seen,  and  you  will  find  it  is  no 
light  task  to  dance  in  the  manner  of  the  Wa-taveta. 


Making  a  Charm.  67 

HurT}'ing  on,  we  reach  camp  just  as  the  siin  disappears 
behind  the  horizon.  In  retiring  to  my  own  corner,  I  find  a 
number  of  venerable  elders  sitting  stoically  awaiting  my 
return.  Calling  for  my  chair  and  a  cup  of  refreshing  tea,  I 
make  myself  comfortable,  and  signify  that  I  am  all  attention. 
After  a  little  preliminary  talk  among  themselves,  one  of  the 
chief  elders  gets  up,  and,  baton  in  hand,  explains  their  errand. 
The  season  has  just  commenced  in  which  the  Masai  go  up>on 
their  usual  raids  to  the  coast  regions  for  cattle.  Their  routes 
lie  on  both  sides  of  the  forest,  where  their  continually 
passing  to  and  fro  has  formed  several  large  pathways,  as  can 
be  easily  seen.  These  war-parties  give  great  annoyance  to 
the  "Wa-taveta  by  their  repeated  attempts  to  storm  their 
arboreal  fortress,  though  the  defendei-s  have  as  yet  had  the 
best  of  it  in  every  encounter.  Now  I  have  arrived,  and  it  is 
not  difficult  to  see  that  I  am  a  great  mganga  or  medicine- 
man. I  have  shown  them  wonders  and  performed  feats 
which  could  only  be  done  by  one  with  supernatural  powers, 
and  consequently  they  have  come  to  me  for  charms  or 
medicines  which  will  prevent  the  Masai  entering  the  forest. 
Listening  to  the  old  gentleman's  harangue  with  much  gravity 
while  I  sip  my  tea,  I  make  a  suitable  reply.  I  try  my  best 
to  explain  that  I  have  no  more  power  than  themselves  to 
ward  oflF  Masai  attacks ;  but  finding  that  this  is  only  received 
with  incredulity  and  is  leaving  a  bad  impression,  I  tell  them 
I  will  do  my  best,  but  cannot  think  of  accepting  the  goat 
which  they  have  brought.  To  refuse  is  simply  to  make  them 
believe  that  I  do  not  want  to  assist  them.  For  their  own 
personal  safety,  therefore,  I  brew  some  Eno's  fruit  salt,  which 
with  fear  and  trembling  they  taste  as  it  fizzes  away.  Finally 
they  retire  quite  satisfied,  but  refusing  to  take  back  the  goat. 
Next  day  I  shall  clench  the  matter  by  going  out  and  with 
much  ceremony  and  firing  of  guns  photographing  the  various 
gates. 

Thus  ends  our  tour  through  the  Tavetan  forest,  and  now, 
as  the  deepening  shadows  and  pleasing  charms  of  the  gloamin' 
gather  round  us,  let  George  Eliot  epitomize  for  us  the  sights 
of  the  day  in  these  graphic  lines : — 

Thns  generations  in  glad  idlesse  throve, 
Nor  hunted  prey  nor  with  each  other  strove. 
For  clearest  springs  were  plenteous  in  the  land. 
And  gourds  for  cups  ;  the  ripe  fruit  sought  the  hand, 
Bending  the  laden'd  boughs  with  fragrant  gold  ; 
And  for  their  roofs  and  garments,  wealth  untold 
F    2 


68  Through  Masai  Land. 

Lay  everywhere  in  grasses  and  broad  leaves. 
They  labour'd  gently  as  a  maid  who  weaves 
Her  hair  in  mimic  mats,  and  pauses  oft 
And  strokes  across  her  palm  the  tresses  soft. 

The  work  of  the  day  is  now  over.     The  short  twilight,  like 
a  glimpse  of  Eden  with  all  its  rich  hues  and  exquisite  soft- 
ness, is  past  and  gone.     The  beds  of  grass  and  leaves  have 
been  made  up,  and  after  a  hard  day's  toil  each  one  seeks 
oblivion  and  needed  rest,  leaving  the  fires  to  sink  and  die ; 
and  soon  nothing  indicates  the  presence  of  man  but  the  silent, 
ghost-like  sentinel  keeping  watch  and  ward  over  the  white- 
robed  figures  lying  around.     We  ourselves  have  retired  to  our 
bosky  corner,  and,  taking  up  a  book  of  poetry,  try  to  forget 
the  scenes  around  us  in  the  beautiful  thoughts  of  a  favourite 
author.     But  no  oblivion  of  that  sort  will  come  to  us  to-night. 
We   are  soon  made  aware  of  "  sounds  which   give   delight 
but  hurt  not,  "  and,  like  Caliban  in  the  enchanted  isle,  wo 
give    ourselves   up   to   the   sweet   influences   of   the   hour. 
Through  the  open  door  we  see  the  canopy  of  heaven  lighted 
up  with  its  thousand  constellations,  shining  with  surprising 
brilliancy  in  the  clear  ambient  atmosphere.     The  winds  sigh 
through  the  forest  and  wake  the  weird  spirits  of  the  night. 
But  these  are  only  subordinate  voices  in  the  sweet  chorus  of 
more    wonderful    sounds   which    soon    breaks    forth    with 
astonishing   volume  and  harmony.     A  flood  of  fairy  notes 
from  myriad  cicadse  pervades  the  air,  as  if  Titania  and  her 
lively  crew  held  high  revel  around  us,  the  whole  blending  so 
sweetly   with   the   muttered   music   of   the   leaves  and  the 
murmuring   of   the    Lumi,  that   it   seems   as  if  an   angelic 
conductor  led  some  celestial  band.     In  the  intervals  of  the 
swelling  music  we  cannot  fail  to  note  in  the  darker  recesses 
of  the  forest,  myriads  of  fireflies  acting  as  fairy  lamps,  and 
flashing   meteor-like    iticessantly   from  bush  to   bush,  con- 
trasting   with    the    numerous    tiny    glow-worms    steadily 
emitting  their  rich,  soft  glow.     But  now,  hark  to  the  horrid 
laughter  of  the  hyenas  as  they  discover  some  filthy  carrion 
and  ghoul-like  gorge  their  fill !     And  there — grand  and  awe- 
inspiring  rises  Avith  resonant  thunder  the  roar  of  the  lion,  a 
nightly  visitor  to  our  neighbourhood.     With  a  cold  shiver 
and  a  creeping  of  the  very  flesh,  we  find  the  charm  of  the 
night  gone.     Closing  the  tent  door,  we  are  soon  in  bed,  cool 
and  comfortable  through  the  agency  of  a  refreshing  breeze 
from  the  icy  heights  of  Kilimanjaro,  which  not  only  sends 
sound   sleep,    but   drives   off  the   troublesome    mosquitoes. 


A    QUESTlONABf-E    ACQUISITION.  69 

Jfext  day  we  rise  to  the   prosaic   labours  of  our   onlinarj- 
life. 

To  proceed  with  my  narrative.  My  conversation  with 
Dugumbi  and  other  traders,  some  of  whom  had  just  returned 
with  a  large  caravan  from  the  Masai  country  (with  a  loss  of 
100  men  from  disease)  gave  me  a  juster  view  than  I  had 
hitherto  formed  of  the  difficulties  before  me.  They  enabled 
me  to  realize  for  the  first  time  that  the  conditions  of  travel 
in  this  region  were  very  widely  different  from  those  of  the 
country  farther  north,  and  they  confirmed  my  previous 
belief  that  my  caravan  was  much  too  smalL  I  was  assured 
that  these  traders  never  dreamed  of  entering  the  Masai  country 
with  less  than  300  men,  and  that  they  always  took  more  if 
circumstances  would  at  all  permit.  I  learned  also  that  as 
there  were  no  recognized  footpaths,  and  as  watering-places 
were  few  and  far  between  and  the  population  migratory,  it 
would  be  simply  courting  defeat  to  go  with  only  one  guide, 
however  honest  or  trustworthy.  Then  I  was  told  that  the 
Masai  were  tremendous  talkers  as  well  as  fighters,  and  that 
the  transaction  of  the  necessary  business  would  require 
several  interpreters  \nth.  nothing  else  to  do.  In  short,  I 
acquired  sufficient  ominous  information  to  make  any  one  not 
possessed  of  a  particularly  sanguine  temperament  despair  of 
ever  passing  the  threshold,  or  at  most  of  getting  many  days 
beyond  it.  It  almost  seemed  as  if  it  could  only  be  by  a 
series  of  lucky  accidents  that  I  could  have  hope  of  ever 
getting  through,  or,  if  once  through,  of  ever  getting  back. 
I  was  not  cast  down,  however,  for  though  I  saw  good  reason 
for  being  anxious  in  a  situation  so  full  of  hazard,  I  had  great 
faitli  in  my  lucky  star,  and  determined  to  mould  fate  to  my 
own  ends. 

1  could  not  see  my  way  to  add  to  the  numbers  of  my  cara- 
van, as  I  had  been  made  clearly  to  understand  by  the  Geographi- 
cal Society  that  on  no  account  was  the  sum  to  be  exceeded, 
— a  rather  curious  injunction,  it  must  be  confessed,  seeing 
that  I  could  not  consider  myself  master  of  my  own  move- 
ments when  once  fairly  in  the  country.  An  attempt  to  add 
three  more  loads  of  iron  wire  to  my  slightly  deficient  stock 
of  that  important  commodity  did  not  encourage  me  to  do 
anything  more  in  that  Une.  I,  however,  took  a  very 
important  step  in  the  engagement  of  a  new  guide  and 
interpreter  in  the  person  of  Sadi.  I  have  already  alluded  to 
this  personage  as  the  caravan  leader  and  guide  of  Baron  von 
der   Decken    and   eventually,   through   his  cowardice  and 


70  Through  Masai  Land. 

treachery,  the  ruiner  of  the  lalter's  hopes  of  penetrating  into 
the  Masai  country.  He  also  acted  in  the  same  capacity  on 
New's  first  visit  to  Mandara,  and  on  his  second  co-operated 
with  that  notorious  chief  in  plundering  the  missionary. 
Since  then  he  had  gone  from  had  to  worse.  He  had  been 
unsuccessful  in  some  small  trading  trips.  Finally,  having 
fallen  deep  in  debt  to  the  Hindus  at  the  coast,  and 
being  unable  to  find  credit  or  get  an  employer,  he  had  fled 
to  Taveta  to  escape  imprisonment.  -Here  he  had  ever  since 
lived  like  a  pauper,  supported  by  the  hospitable  Wa-taveta 
or  any  trader  who  would  give  him  a  present  of  cloth.  This, 
then,  was  the  man  I  now  engaged,  after  a  series  of  extremely 
slippery  negotiations,  at  $15  a  month.  To  do  him  credit, 
however,  it  should  be  stated  that  he  had  a  commanding  and 
venerable  presence,  a  not  unimportant  qualification  in  the 
Masai  country,  and  that  without  exception  he  had  the  most 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  Masai  language  of  any  man  on 
the  coast.  Even  the  Masai  had  to  admit  they  were  no 
match  for  him  in  power  of  talking  out  a  subject.  I  never 
knew  any  one  with  such  a  singular  "  gift  of  the  gab."  He 
would  have  been  a  perfectly  invaluable  acquisition  to  the 
Irish  irrepressibles  in  Parliament !  How  I  got  on  with  this 
formidable  gentleman  will  presently  appear. 

During  our  stay  at  Taveta  we  for  the  first  time  opened  up 
communication  with  Mandara.  A  messenger  arrived  from 
that  powerful  chief,  bringing  a  bullock  and  a  goat  as  a 
present,  along  with  salaams  and  compliments,  and  expres- 
sions of  a  strong  desire  that  I  should  go  and  visit  him, — 
declaring  that  anything  he  could  do  for  me  would  be  at  once 
performed.  As  the  bullock  was  small  and  a  male,  I  refused 
to  accept  it.  I  Avas  certain  that  Mandara  must  have  sent  a 
difierent  animal,  for  it  is  the  custom  to  send  the  male  only 
as  "  a  feeler  "  in  case  of  doubt,  it  being  understood  that  if 
one  accepts  such  a  present,  he  has  warlike  intentions.  It 
proved,  as  I  suspected,  that  this  had  been  the  messenger's 
OAvn  little  game,  a  fine  fat  cow  having  really  been  sent,  but 
exchanged  for  tlie  other  animal,  with  an  M- taveta,  for  a  con- 
sideration. The  proper  cow  having  arrived,  I  made  up  a 
present  of  a  gun,  a  government  sword-bayonet,  a  piece  of 
cotton,  tAvo  coloured  cloths,  and  two  flasks  of  gunpowder, 
and  sent  them  off  with  the  proper  expressions  of  regret  that 
my  numerous  engagements  would  not  permit  me  the  pleasure 
of  calling  upon  him. 

On  my  first  arrival  at  Taveta  I  heard  that,  only  some  two 


News  op  Fischer. 


71 


days  before,  Dr.  Fischer,  the  German,  had  arrived  at  Arusha 
wa  chini  from  Pangani.  But  for  the  enforced  delay  that  had 
befallen  me,  it  is  not  improbable  that  I  might  have  preceded 
him  into  the  Masai  country,  or  at  least  entered  at  the  same 
time.  However,  the  information  I  received  both  there  and 
at  Zanzibar,  from  his  agent  and  his  head-men,  led  me  to 
believe  that  my  plans  would  not  be  interfered  with,  and 
that  there  would  be  more  than  elbow-room  for  both  of  us. 
My  own  intention  at  that  time  was  to  keep  straight  across 


WA-TBITA   TULAGE,   KDABA. 

country  via  Nguruma-ni  to  Kavirondo,  on  Victoria  Nyanza, 
while  I  understood  that  Fischer  would  cross  my  route  nearly 
at  right  angles,  and,  keeping  away  north,  try  to  reach  Mount 
Kenia,  and  afterwards  Lake  Baringo. 

My  position,  then,  at  this  period  may  be  briefly  sum- 
marized in  the  following  manner.  I  had  arrived  at  the 
threshold  of  the  Masai  country  with  a  caravan  of  men  only 
about  one-third  of  the  proper  number,  and  these,  with  few 
exceptions,  of  the  weakest  and  most  villainous  type.    For  the 


72  Through  Masai  Land. 

important  positions  of  guides  and  interpreters  I  had  but  two 
men,  neither  of  whom  bore  the  highest  character  ;  while 
properly  I  should  have  had  not  loss  than  six,  experienced  in 
the  duties  of  the  office.  Then  I  was  considerably  short  of 
the  proper  supply  of  iron  wire  (technically  known  as  senenge 
by  the  natives).  This  came  about,  not  through  any  forget- 
fulness  of  my  own,  but  from  the  fact  that  I  could  not  carry 
more,  so  many  men  being  occupied  carrying  the  customary 
impedimenta  of  a  European  traveller.  Under  these  various 
disadvantages  I  was  called  upon  to  attempt  one  of  the  most 
difficult  undertakings,  and  to  face  a  tribe  Avhose  very  name 
carried  fear  to  the  hearts  of  all  who  knew  it,  and  among 
whom  numerous  trading  caravans  had  been  annihilated, 
rarely  a  year  passing  without  some  disaster  or  other. 

I  may  say,  however,  that  never  for  a  moment  did  I  shrink 
from  the  task  before  me.  I  counted  the  cost,  and  saw 
clearly  the  difficulties  and  the  dangers  attending  my  project, 
but  it  was  only  to  smile  at  them,  and  to  become  more  fixed 
in  my  resolve  to  master  them.  Temporary  clouds  might 
envelope  me,  but  as  to  my  ultimate  success  I  never  once 
doubted. 

Before  closing  this  chapter  it  remains  but  to  be  said  that 
besides  exploring  the  Tavetan  forest,  and  visiting  Lake  Jipe, 
I  made  several  excursions  to  the  base  of  Kilimanjaro,  to 
examine  the  numerous  small  parasitic  cones  and  craters 
which  spring  up  at  the  base  of  the  parent  volcano,  besides 
making  an  examination  of  the  charming  and  romantic  little 
crater  lake  of  Chala.  These,  and  other  geological  observa- 
tions, I  will  set  aside  at  present,  and  in  a  chapter  more 
immediately  devoted  to  an  account  of  Kilimanjaro  give  the 
results. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THROUGH  THE  DOOR  OF  THE  MASAI. 

At  last,  much  to  my  relief,  we  found  ourselves  ready  for  the 
road.  Most  of  the  men  were  looking  longingly  back  towards 
the  coast,  and  I  with  equal  eagerness  towards  the  setting  sun 
and  the  unknowu.  The  beads  had  been  all  strung,  the 
cloths  made  up,  and  food  collected  for  the  desert  march  round 


A  Ridiculous  Episodb.  73 

the  base  of  Kilimanjaro.  Goods  and  men  were  alike  over- 
hauled, ^nth  the  result  of  leaving  no  less  than  three  men 
behind  as  utter  incai>ables.  On  the  march  to  Taveta  two 
men  had  been  left  at  Bura,  of  whom  one  had  subsequently 
died;  and  two  others  had  deserted.  At  Taveta  one  of  the 
mission  boys  died  of  some  disease  of  a  nature  beyond  my 
ken  ;  and  thus  we  were  reduced  by  eight  men. 

On  the  evening  of  the  17th  of  April  the  last  paragraph 
was  added  to  my  letters,  and  the  tinal  farewells  written. 
After  a  night  of  constant  watchfulness  over  my  men,  and  a 
short  snooze  in  the  early  morning,  I  sprang  out  of  bed,  and 
feverislily  plunged  into  the  bustle  of  striking  camp.  There  was 
the  usual  worry  over  the  light  loads,  and  the  usual  obstinate 
resistance  to  carrying  the  boxes  and  more  unpleasant  pack- 
ages, necessitating  the  application  of  the  birch  in  more  than 
one  instance.  At  last  matters  were  finally  arranged,  and  in 
the  still  dewy  morning  we  left  Taveta  amid  many  expressions 
of  regret.  We  squeezed  ourselves  once  more  through  the 
narrow  gate,  and  after  passing  the  outside  leafy  tunnel 
tlirough  the  sombre  forest,  we  emerged  on  its  western  side. 
We  could  only  cross  the  Lumi  and  camp.  Time  would  not 
allow  us  to  proceed  further  that  day ;  besides,  there  were  a 
few  final  touches  of  preparation  which  could  only  be  done 
after  striking  camp. 

By  way  of  a  little  relaxation,  I  strolled  up  the  bank  of  the 
Lumi  in  the  hope  of  shooting  something  for  the  pot.  The 
country,  however,  was  too  open,  and  the  game  too  wild. 
Though  I  sighted  a  bush-buck,  a  herd  of  hai-tebeest,  and  a 
wart-hog,  I  did  not  succeed  in  shedding  blood.  A  slightly 
ridiculous  episode,  however,  gave  us  a  spurt  of  excitement. 
Sighting  some  large  animal  in  the  bush,  which  in  the  gather- 
ing darkness  I  took  for  a  rhinoceros,  I  proceeded  warily  to 
stalk  it,  paying  all  due  attention  to  the  -wind.  After  much 
crawling  and  creeping  from  hiisli  to  bush  with  sundry 
scratches,  I  got  pretty  near  to  my  quarry.  My  excitement 
was  rapidly  rising  over  the  dangers  and  anticipated  triumph, 
when  suddenly  a  loud  "  Hee  !  haw  !  hee  !  haw  !  "  broke  with 
extraordinary  eiJect  from  my  supposed  rhinoceros.  I  felt 
decidedly  foolish,  and  inwardly  confessed  that  I  must  be  as 
stupid  as  the  venerable  animal  which  thus  saluted  my 
approach  with  heaving  sides  and  elevated  ears,  as  it  poured 
forth  its  asinine  ridicule.  I  returned  crestfallen  to  camp, 
only  to  hear  roars  of  laughter  from  my  men  as  the  story  got 
afloat 


74  Through  Masai  Land. 

I  now  called  a  council  of  war  with  Martin  and  my  head- 
men, as  to  the  steps  to  be  taken  to  prevent  desertion.  The 
most  anxious  night  of  all  had  now  arrived.  Those  who 
might  have  resolved  to  desert  would  certainly  do  so  to-night, 
as  they  well  knew  that  if  once  they  left  Taveta  one  or  two 
marches  behind,  there  would  then  be  no  chance  again. 
During  their  stay  in  the  forest  the  men  had  heard  so  many 
dreadful  stories  about  the  murderous  propensities  of  the 
Masai  that  they  Avere  electrically  charged  with  fear.  It 
required  therefore  but  a  leader,  or  the  occurrence  of  some 
slight  accident,  to  cause  a  general  stampede.  Thanks  to  the 
stories  about  the  Masai  being  on  the  war-path,  the  seizure  of 
their  guns,  and  our  consl;ant  watchfulness,  we  had  hitherto 
not  lost  more  than  two  men  through  desertion.  If  Ave  could 
only  put  a  couple  of  marches  between  us  and  Taveta,  we 
were  safe.  Till  then  Ave  Avere  relying  on  a  breaking  reed, 
which  might  give  Avay  at  any  moment,  with  irretrievable 
ruin  as  the  consequence.  We  adopted  the  same  precautions 
as  those  we  put  in  force  on  leaving  Kabai,  and  happily  next 
morning,  after  a  night  of  incessant  care,  avb  found  ourselves 
on  the  march  Avith  the  loss  of  only  one  man,  though  a  general 
stubbornness  and  sulkiness  told  the  feelings  of  a  large  number 
Avho  resentfully  felt  that  I  had  been  "  one  too  many  "  for 
them  this  time. 

Full  of  buoyant  hopes  and  sanguine  expectations,  Tj)ushed 
on  merrily  through  the  tall  grass,  laden  Avith  the  deAv  of  the 
morning,  till  we  struck  the  proper  road  Avhich  leads  to  Chaga, 
and  thence  round  the  southern  aspect  of  Kilimanjaro  to  the 
JNIasai  country. 

On  nearing  the  base  of  the  mountain,  we  passed  between 
two  small  hills  of  metamorphic  rock  cropping  out  from 
beneath  a  series  of  beds  of  volcanic  ash.  Keeping  almost 
due  west,  Ave  traversed  a  stony  tract  from  Avhicli  protruded 
every  here  and  there  trachytic  lavas,  light  in  colour,  but  dense 
and  compact,  along  Avith  beds  of  the  fragmentary  volcanic 
materials. 

The  men  moved  on  Avith  excessive  sloAvness,  requiring  the 
utmost  patience  on  my  part.  They  took  nearly  eight  hours 
to  accomplish  what  they  should  have  done  easily  in  five.  At 
last,  however,  Ave  reached  the  Ilabali  stream  at  a  point  Avhere 
it  fonus  a  pretty  cascade.  This  Avaterfall  has  been  caused  by 
the  occurrence  of  an  easily  Aveathered  volcanic  agglomerate 
overlaid  by  a  hard  and  very  compact  lava.  We  camped  in 
the  small  gorge  formed  by  the  Avearing  back  of  the  rocks. 


A  Visit  to  Mandaea.  75 

The  day,  however,  which  commenced  so  hopefully,  ended  in 
gloom.  The  astounding  news  reached  our  ears  that  a  great 
war-party  of  Masai^  about  2000  strong,  were  in  front  of  ns. 
This  alarming  intelligence  produced  no  small  consternation 
in  our  minds.  It  would  be  bad  enough,  in  all  conscience,  to 
come  in  contact  with  them  in  their  own  country.  But  to 
meet  them  onjhe  war-path,  with  heated  bloodand  without 
any  restraint,  was  a  matter  still  more^rious.  How  were  we 
to  meet  the  emergency  1  To  retreat  meant  the  desertion  of 
the  men.  To  advance  would  be  to  fight  and  be  dispersed 
like  so  many  hares,  if  nothing  worse  happened  to  us.  The 
only  other  course  open  was  to  stand  our  chance  with  the 
notorious  chief,  Mandara.  This  course  was  obviously  not 
without  serious  risks  of  its  own,  but  as  it  seemed  to  involve 
the  least  of  three  evUs,  I  resolved  to  adopt  it. 

^o  time  had  to  be  lost  in  preparing  to  camp.  Every  man 
seized  the  axe  with  alacrity,  and  soon  the  thud  of  the  iron,  the 
swish  of  the  falling  trees,  and  the  half-suppressed  calls  told 
that  the  men  were  working  with  a  will.  In  less  than  an  hour 
wc  were  safely  surrounded  by  a  strong  l>oma  or  thorn  fence, 
behind  which  we  could  bid  defiance  to  as  many  Masai  as 
pleased  to  come  up  against  us,  and  (what  was  just  as  important) 
through  or  over  which  none  of  my  own  men  could  go  in  the 
darkness  of  night. 

Next  day  I  took  care  to  send  a  few  of  my  best  head-men 
forward  as  an  advance-guard,  to  warn  us  in  time  if  the  Masai 
were  seen,  that  we  might  retreat  into  the  jungle.  Early  in 
the  morning  we  reached  the  fine  river  known  as  the  Himu, 
at  a  point  where  it  runs  through  a  deep  channel  cut  out  of 
very  coarse  volcanic  debris — many  of  the  ejected  blocks  being 
several  tons  in  weight.  A  little  farther  on  we  crossed  the 
Mto-Kilema,  a  smaller  stream.  At  this  point  there  are 
noticeable  three  small,  parasitic,  volcanic  cones.  At  10.30  a.m. 
we  reached  the  Kirua  stream.  There  we  met  with  our 
scouts,  who  reported  that  as  yet  they  had  seen  no  signs  of  the 
Masai.  We  pressed  on  through  an  open,  much  broken  forest 
country  to  the  Chora,  our  fourth  stream  for  the  day,  and 
there  we  camped  at  midday.  Alter  seeing  the  homa  (thorn 
fence)  constructed  round  our  camp  some  distance  from  the 
pathway,  I  determined  to  interview  Jklandara,  of  whom  I  had 
heard  so  much  both  favourable  and  unfavourable. 

Taking  only  Muhinna  and  Brahim  with  me,  and  going 
empty-handed,  I  started  off.  After  a  hot  march  of  four  hours 
through  a  dense  bush,  where  we  lost  our  way,  we  entered 


76  Through  Masai  Land. 

upon  a  cultivated  part,  and  were  put  in  the  right  road. 
Eeaching  a  blacksmith's  shed,  we  fired  the  customary  three 
guns  which  announces  a  stranger  from  the  coast,  and  then 
waited  till  told  the  chief  was  ready  to  receive  us.  After  a 
short  time  we  were  called.  Traversing  a  rich  banana  grove, 
and  crossing  an  open  space,  in  which  were  several  cows 
feeding,  we  found  ourselves  face  to  face  with  a  group  of  fine- 
looking,  aristocratic  Wa-chaga.  They  were  sitting  under  a 
shed,  enveloped  in  voluminous  lengths  of  cotton  dyed  in  ochre. 
As  no  one  spoke  when  I  entered,  or  rose  to  shake  hands  with 
me,  I  uttered  a  general  salutation,  and  sat  down  on  a  log  of 
wood.  Compelled  at  last  to  relieve  my  aAvkward  reception, 
I  asked  which  was  Mandara.  A  powerfully-built  man,  of 
princely  bearing,  was  pointed  out  to  me.  With  a  face  which 
for  a  negro  might  be  called  intellectual  and  capable  of 
expressing  every  emotion,  he  had  an  eye  like  an  eagle's  but 
only  one — the  other  had  lost  its  light  for  ever.  These 
characteristics  I  noted  in  a  glance,  and  then  commenced  my 
speech.  I  explained  where  I  had  come  from,  and  where  I 
was  going  ;  I  stated  that,  having  been  compelled  to  leave  the 
trade-route  owing  to  the  Masai,  I  proposed  to  camp  at  the 
boundary  of  his  domains,  and  that,,  having  heard  so  much 
about  his  great  achievements  as  a  warrior,  of  his  princely 
character,  and  his  delight  in  receiving  strangers  from  the 
coast,  I  could  not  possibly  pass  so  near  him  without  giving 
myself  the  pleasure  of  coming  to  see  him. 

In  the  midst  of  this  eloquent  harangue,  I  was  rather  taken 
aback  by  seeing  his  eye  suddenly  becoming  fixed  on  my  foot. 
Then  his  mouth  took  a  well-known  shape,  and  I  was  startled 
to  hear  a  familiar  sound  generally  employed  by  vulgar  little 
boys  to  express  unbounded  astonishment  or  incredulity.  In 
short,  Mandara  emitted  a  long-drawn  whistle.  Thinking  he 
had  discovered  a  snake  in  unpleasant  proximity  to  my  foot, 
I  suddenly  drew  it  back,  and  began  also  staring  at  the  same 
place.  Seeing  nothing,  I  looked  up.  Then  we  both  laughed 
— why,  I  don't  know — and  a  period  was  put  to  my  speech 
by  a  series  of  questions  about  my  boots,  which  had  drawn 
forth  the  expression  of  astonishment.  Whistling  in  that 
manner  was  his  customary  expressive  manner  of  showing 
wonder  or  admiration.  Our  interview,  which  turned  out 
pleasant,  was  accompanied  by  continual  ejections  of  saliva, 
squirted  with  great  skill  from  between  his  teeth,  and  by  a 
continual  quaffing  of  beer.  I  was  much  impressed  by  Man- 
dara's  evident  intelligence.     Our  interview  did  not  cease  till 


Mandara  and  his  Residence.  77 

after  sunset,  when  we  were  left  alone  to  pass  the  night  in  the 
shed,  amply  provided  with  all  the  good  things  that  Moschi 
(the  country')  could  produce. 

Mandara'^s  residence  consists  of  a  number  of  conical,  well- 
built  huts,  in  which  are  housed  his  fifty  or  more  wives. 
His  own  private  abode  is  a  quadrangular  house  built  after 
the  Swahili  type,  and  plastered  with  dung  and  clay.     Here 
it  is  that  he  receives  his  favoured  guests  and  stows  away  his 
valuables.   These  buildings,  together  with  a  number  of  sheds 
for  sheep  and  goats,  and  enclosures  for  fowls  (which  the  Wa- 
chaga  will  on  no  account  eat),  are  surrounded  by  a  triple  pali- 
sade of  tree  trunks  of  great  strength,  while  outside  are  about 
eight  more  large  huts,  each  holding  eight  young  women,  who 
form  his  stock  in  hand  of  damsels  for  the  elave-market,  or  as 
rewards  to  the  soldiers  for  services  done.     ^Vhen  the  moon 
is  bright,  and  the  chief's  spirits  high,  and  his  heart  gladsome 
within  him,  these  damsels  dance  on  the  dewy  grass,  waking 
the  ephoes  of  the  neighbouring  glens  with  their  weird,  ear- 
piercing  screams,  and  looking  witch-like  in  the  ruddy  glare 
of  the  bonfires.     Mandara,  however,  does  not  depend  entirely 
upon  his  palisades.     A  hundred  warriors  nightly  keep  watch 
and  ward  round  the  compountl,  ever  ready  to  raise  the  war- 
cry,  and  rush  upon  all  intruders. 

The  village  occupies  the  top  of  a  narrow  ridge  formed  by 
a  deep  glen  on  either  side.     From  the  upper  part  of  the 
small  streams  miniature  canals,  constructed  with  great  skill, 
lead  off  the  water  and  spread  it  over  the  entire  ridge,  thus 
supplying  moisture  throughout  the    entire  year.     A    more 
rich  and  varied  scene  I  have  nowhere  looked  upon  in  Africa, 
The  rich  carpet  of  grass  alternated  or    intermingled  with 
banana  groves,  fields  of  beans,  millet,   Indian  com,  sweet 
potatoes,  yams,  &c.     Here  and  there,  like  sentinels,  stood 
small  groves  of  stalwart  trees.     The  banks  and  the  irrigation 
channels  were  rich  with  tender  maiden-hair  ferns,  and  others 
of  familiar  asjject.     Lazy  cattle  lay  about  the  huts,  or  browsed 
knee-deep  in  the  succulent  grass.     Goats,  lively  and  frisk- 
some,  skipped  about  the  banks,  or  with  fierce  aspect  tried 
the  mimic  fight.     Sheep  loaded  with   enormous   fat    tails 
wobbling  about  their  legs,  looked  as  if  aweary  of  existence, 
and  ready  to  welcome  the  knife.     Moschi,  as  it  lay  before 
me,  had  all  the  rich  fertility  and  pleasing  aspect  of  Taveta, 
with  the  advantage  of  a  beautiful  interchange  of  hill  and 
glen.     There  was  an  unbounded  prospect  towards  the  south, 
east,  and  west;    while    to    the   north   towered,  sovereign, 


78  Theough  Masai  Land. 

majestic,  awful  in  its  silent  calm,  the  snow-clad  peak  of 
Kibo.  There  was  no  feeling  of  confinement,  and  the  blood 
coursed  more  warmly  through  the  veins,  stimulated  by  the 
bracing  mountain  air,  till  one  felt  inclined  to  shout 
"  Excelsior ! "  and  climb  the  mountain  heavenward.  In 
Moschi  one  had  none  of  that  spirit  of  delicious  lotus-eating 
indolence  induced  by  the  dreamy,  poetic  life  of  Taveta  :  yet 
it  was  not  without  its  pleasing  nature-music  in  the  distant 
sound  of  the  cascade  or  the  dreamy  "  sugh "  of  the  stream 
deep  down  in  the  glen,  brought  to  our  ears  on  the  downy 
wings  of  the  cool  wind.  Such  were  our  more  immediate 
surroundings.  But  let  us  look  somewhat  afield  from  our 
point  of  vantage  on  the  Chaga  platform. 

Gazing  eastward,  the  eye  roams  over  the  Tavetan  forest, 
and  over  the  yellow,  burnt-up  plain  beyond,  till  the  view 
is  bounded  by  the  range  of  Bura  and  the  peak  of  Kadiaro 
rising  above  the  horizon  like  dangerous  black  rocks  from  a 
muddy  sea.     Turning  to  the  south-east,  we    note    in    the 
foreground  the  hills  and  dales  at  our  feet,  carved  out  by 
numerous  noisy  torrents.     Here  a   "  gallery  "  forest  arches 
over  a  rushing  stream ;  there  a  bush-clad   ridge.     'Now  a 
beautiful  glade,  anon  a  piece  of  park-like  country.     Such  is 
Chaga,  if  you  add  curling  columns  of  smoke,  and  parti-coloured 
plantations.     In  the  same  direction,  but  beyond  the  base 
of  the  mountain,  the  eye  takes  in  a  rich  expanse  of  forest 
and  jungle,  dotted  here  and  there  with  strange  little  sugar- 
loaf  peaks,  Avhich  tell  of  former  fiery  vents  of  Vulcan's  forge 
below.     Attention  is  finally  arrested  by  a  glimpse  of  the 
silvery,  shimmering  sheet  of  Jipe  seen  past  the  edge  of  the 
Ugono   Eange,  though   far   away  beyond,   in   the   haze  of 
distance,    may  faintly  be  traced  the  Pare  and    U-sambara 
mountains.     To  the  south  the  view  extends  over  the  well- 
watered  depression  of  the  Kahe  country  to  the  interesting 
mountains    of    Sogonoi.     This  whole    district,  one    of    the 
richest  in  Africa,  is  practically  uninhabited,  except  in  some 
dense  forest  patches,  owing  to  the   terror  with  which   tjLe 
Masai  are  regarded.     The  expanse  towards  the  west  is  most 
pictui-esque  and  varied,  for  there,  looking  over  Machame  (a 
Chaga  state),  we  see  the  clear  sweep  of  the  sunny  slopes  of 
Kilimanjaro  from  top  to  bottom,  with  the  Shira  flanking  its 
shoulder  scarred  and  rugged,  its  black  gloomy  rocks  and 
narrow  gorges  contrasting  with  the  smiling  aspect  of  Machame 
at  its  base.     Behind  are  the  magnificent  though  simple  out- 
lines of  the  wonderful  volcanic  cone  of  Meru,  which  springs 


80  Through  Masai  Land, 

up  to  a  height  of  nearly  9000  feet  from  the  surrounding 
plain,  and  stands  in  all  the  severe  and  placid  dignity  of  a 
Cyclopean  pyramid.  Of  the  scene  on  the  north,  which  closes 
in  this  glorious  panorama,  I  Avill  not  attempt  to  give  any 
description,  so  inadequate  is  my  vocabulary  to  convey  any 
worthy  conception  of  the  effect  which  the  sight  of  Kibo  and 
Kimawenzi  have  on  the  mind. 

In  the  calm  stillness  of  the  night,  however,  as  I  lie  awake 
in  my  open  shed,  wrapped  cosily  in  my  blanket,  and  as  I  see, 
under  the  mild  effulgence  and  mellow  light  of  a  full  moon, 
Kibo  standing  out  clear  and  bright,  it  seems  to  me  in  no  way 
strange  that  the  untutored  savage,  ever  waging  a  fierce  war 
with  nature,  and  with  a  strong  tendency  to  the  worship  of 
nature-spirits,  should  see  in  this  majestic  mountain  some- 
thing more  than  a  material  existence,  or,  at  least,  should 
recognize  it  as  the  chosen  abode  of  the  Supreme  Being, 

Next  morning  I  hurried  down  to  camp,  and  was  pleased  to 
find  all  right.  We  then  moved  on  to  the  base  of  Moschi, 
and,  after  we  had  once  more  strongly  fortified  ourselves,  I 
resolved  to  utilize  this  new  delay  in  making  an  ascent  of 
Kilimanjaro,  as  far  as  that  could  be  done  in  a  single  day,  for 
the  purpose  of  making  a  collection  of  plants  at  the  higher 
altitudes,  which  botanists  considered  would  be  of  great  value 
in  elucidating  certain  puzzles  regarding  the  distribution  of 
African  plants.  Accompanied  by  some  of  my  best  men,  I 
set  off  in  the  afternoon  for  Mandara's,  where  we  were  once 
more  treated  hospitably,  being  housed  in  one  of  the  gourd 
sheds,  and  mindfully  supplied  with  a  roaring  fire— for  the 
nights  on  the  mountain  were  cold.  Next  morning,  guided 
by  an  M-chaga,  who  was  most  annoying  in  his  behaviour,  we 
set  off  at  a  killing  pace  up  the  mountain  side.  In  a  couple 
of  hours  we  had  reached  the  limit  of  cultivation.  Then  we 
crossed  a  small  stream  blocked  up  with  several  dams,  intended 
to  carry  the  water  along  the  narrow  valleys  at  higher  levels 
and  to  spread  it  along  their  slopes.  We  then  plunged  into 
the  forest  region,  principally  composed  of  a  provoking  tangle ; 
trees  doing  duty  largely  as  supports  to  creepers,  and  being 
covered  with  moss,  various  kinds  of  ferns,  parasites,  and 
orchids.  The  occurrence  of  brambles,  bracken,  male  and 
lady  ferns,  various  spleenworts,  maidenhair,  and  mountain 
polypody,  would  have  made  us  imagine  we  were  in  Europe, 
but  for  the  unusual  profusion  and  rank  luxuriance. 

By  9  a.m.  Ave  had  got  little  over  5000  feet,  for  we  had  to 
traverse  a  great  distance  horizontally  as  well  as  vertically. 


The  Forest  Region  of  Kilimanjaeo.      81 

TJie  men  were  lagging  fearfully,  and  were  sadly  blown. 
Waiting  to  rest  ourselves,  we  saw  that  we  had  reached  a 
great  rib  or  buttress  of  the  mountain,  formed  by  the  deep 
gorges  of  the  Kirua  on  the  one  side,  and  that  of  the  Uru  on 
the  other. 

"We  could  now  see  to  much  advantage  the  great  platform 
of  Chaga,  which  forms  a  basement  to  the  mountain.  From 
9  to  9.30,  after  leaving  all  but  three  of  the  men  quite  done 
up,  we  by  another  grand  spurt  succeeded  in  reaching  a  small 
open  space  where  a  war-party  of  the  "Wa-kwafi  of  Arusha- 
wa-juu  (Mount  Meru),  in  company  with  Mandara's  men,  had 
camped  on  their  way  across  the  depression  between  Kibo  and 
Kimawenzi  to  attack  Useri  Here  we  found  arborescent 
heather  and  splendid  tree  ferns.  The  greater  amount  of 
moisture  and  rainfall  is  here  plainly  evidenced  by  the  great 
abundance  of  the  long  grey-beaird  moss  which  weirdly 
envelops  every  branch  and  twig,  waving  to  every  breeze,  and 
giving  the  trees  a  most  venerable  appearance.  The  trees  also 
are  much  larger,  and  vegetation  still  more  luxuriant.  "We  had 
now  reached  a  region  of  almost  continual  cloud.  The  manner 
in  which  the  sides  of  the  mountain  at  this  height  are  cut  and 
carved  into  deep  gorges  and  glens,  compared  with  what  is 
seen  in  the  lower  platform,  strikingly  suggested  the  idea  that 
we  were  now  on  a  very^uch  older  part  of  the  mountain,  and 
that  Chaga  proper  has  in  reality  been  formed  at  a  later  date  by 
the  breaking  out  of  numerous  parasitic  cones  and  craters  when 
the  height  of  the  main  crater  became  too  great  for  the  under- 
ground agents  to  force  the  molten  material  or  ashes  to  the  top. 

From  the  camp  of  the  "Wa-kwafi  we  again  pushed  on ; 
but  we  found  it  difficult  and  killing  work  to  force  our  way 
through  the  forest.  Now  we  were  climbing  over  huge  fallen 
trees,  anon  sinking  up  to  the  ankles  in  marshy  hollows,  and 
almost  sticking  in  the  mud.  At  last  we  reached  the  upper 
watera  of  the  Himu,  which  we  had  crossed  as  a  fine  stream 
at  the  base  of  the  mountain.  My  three  remaining  men  now 
finally  gave  in,  and  I  had  to  resume  my  weary  climb  with 
the  guide  alone.  At  1  p.m.,  finding  myself  rather  short  of 
9000  feet  in  altitude,  after  seven  hours  of  climbing,  the  most 
severe  I  have  ever  experienced,  I  myself  was  reluctantly 
compelled  to  desist  and  give  up  my  intention  of  penetrating 
above  the  forest  region. 

As  I  had  made  no  preparation  for  camping  on  the  mountain, 
I  had  to  lose  no  time  in  making  a  small  collection  of 
the  plants  around  me.     These  included  gladiolus  and  tritoma 

G 


82  Theough  Ma  sat  Land. 

heaths,  and  various  species  allied  to  our  buttercups,  docks, 
&c.  There  was  little  in  the  aspect  of  my  floral  surroundings 
to  suggest. that  I  was  in  the  tropics,  a  fact  difficult  to  con- 
ceive with  a  wind  blowing  from  the  mountain  with  freezing 
influence. 

So  hurried  was  I  that  I  had  not  even  time  to  set  up  my 
George's  barometer,  or  to  find  the  altitude  with  my 
hypsometer.  I  had  therefore  to  be  content  with  the 
approximate  reading  of  my  aneroid,  and  to  rush  down  the 
mountain  at  a  headlong  pace,  picking  up  at  intervals  my 
broken-down  followers,  who,  now  that  their  faces  were 
towards  Mandara's,  stepped  out  with  alacrity.  As  the  sun 
set  we  reached  the  village,  to  find  that  the  chief,  with  a 
thoughtfulness  beyond  all  praise,  had  provided  for  our 
delectation  eggs,  goats,  fresh  milk,  bananas,  &c.,  and  soon 
with  rare  enjoyment  we  were  making  havoc  on  these 
comestibles  as  we  gathered  round  the  grand  roaring  camp 
fire.  These  little  excursions,  when  I  could  get  away  from 
tents  and  the  worries  of  a  caravan  and  rough  it  in  the  most 
thorough  fashion,  were  always  the  most  enjoyable  and 
romantic.  If  I  had  my  choice,  and  circumstances  would 
permit,  and  enjoyment  only  was  to  be  aimed  at,  I  would 
infinitely  prefer  a  very  few  followers  and  almost  no 
impedimenta  of  any  kind.  The  best  sauce  to  my  meat  that 
night,  however,  was  the  news  that  tlie  Masai  had  broken  up 
camp  and  passed  out  of  our  way. 

Next  morning,  with  a  thoughtlessness  for  which  there 
could  be  no  excuse,  I  pressed  Mandara  to  come  down  to 
camp  and  see  my  guns,  &c.,  in  which  he  took  so  much 
delight.  Up  to  that  time  he  had  never  asked  me  for  a  single 
article,  and  I  was  so  charmed  by  his  princely  ways,  his 
great  intelligence,  and  other  unusual  qualities,  that  I  could 
not  resist  the  desire  to  show  some  little  attention  to  him. 
He  had  not  intended  to  go  down,  but  after  some  importunity 
on  my  part  he  consented.  Going  off  in  front  to  prepare  for 
his  reception,  I  found  all  Avell  in  camp.  The  Wa-chaga,  on 
hearing  that  their  chief  was  coming,  scuttled  off  in  great 
trepidation,  as  if  it  was  his  habit  to  chop  off  the  heads  of  all 
who  came  in  his  way — and  indeed,  it  teas  one  of  his  greatest 
delights  to  see  the  abject  terror  of  his  subjects,  over  whom 
ho  wielded  the  most  absolute  authority.  On  his  arrival  I 
showed  him  all  my  guns,  mstruments,  &c.  The  galvanic 
battery  threw  him  into  fits  of  astonishment,  till  his  eagle 
eye  gleamed  with  covetousness,  and  he  spat  and  whistled 


A  EASH  Invitation. 


83 


himself  dry,  requiring  incessant  libations  of  pombe  to 
sustain  him.  He  intensely  enjoyed  ordering  his  chiefs  and 
warriors  to  submit  to  the  electric  current,  and  he  simply 
gloated  over  their  evident  though  suppressed  terror,  while 
they  with  diflBculty  kept  themselves  from  yelling  out  or 
wriggling  on  the  ground.  They  stood  the  trial,  however, 
admirably,  with  the  self-control  proper  to  warrior  chiefs. 
Mandara  himself  refused  to  experiment,  afraid  of  being 
bewitched.     Neither  would   he  stand   to  be  photographed. 


KAKDARA'S  W1.BRI0B8. 


although  he  ordered  his  warriors  to  submit  to  the  operation. 
These  warriors  affect  the  weapons  of  the  ^fasai — namely, 
great  shovel-headed  spears,  the  sime,  knobkerry,  and  the 
large  elliptically  shaped  buffalo-hide  shield  ornamented  with 
an  heraldic  device  in  colours.  These  were  all  beautiful 
specimens  of  native  workmanship,  the  Wa-chaga  of  Moschi 
being  quit€  unrivalled  as  blacksmiths  in  Africa. 

Kow,  in  making  this  exhibition,  as  my  knowledge  of  the 
native  character  might  have  told  me,  I  was  simplv  arousing 

o  2 


84  Through  Masai  Land. 

Mandara's  cupidity,  and  soon  I  found  I  had  to  reckon  Avith 
mine  host.  Of  course  I  quite  understood  that  in  bringing 
him  down  I  could  not  possibly  send  him  off  empty-handed  ; 
so  I  made  up  a  present,  consisting  of  a  Snider,  a  revolver, 
four  flasks  of  gunpowder,  one  piece  of  American  cotton,  one 
of  blue  cloth,  and  several  gaudy-coloured  cloths.  Thinking 
I  had  done  very  handsomely,  I  called  him  into  the  tent  and 
with  much  satisfaction  showed  him  my  present.  An  ominous 
whistle,  as  he  brought  his  eye  to  bear  upon  my  treasures,  and 
an  expression  of  contempt  on  his  face  soon  brought  me  to 
my  senses.  "  "Were  these,"  he  scornfully  inquired,  "  the 
presents  for  his  askari  who  had  accompanied  him  ?  or  did  I 
mean  to  offer  him  a  Zanzibar-made  gun  only  fit  for  a  porter  ? " 
Having  thus  unburdened  himself,  he  turned  his  back  and 
marched  out  of  the  tent,  leaving  me  staring  blankly  at  the 
rejected  gift.  To  my  men  outside  he  said,  "  Vfhy  had  I 
shown  him  all  my  things,  if  I  did  not  mean  to  give  him 
some  1  What  did  he  care  for  coast  goods  1  He  had  plenty 
of  them  !  What  he  wanted  was  European  articles  befitting 
his  greatness  ! "  I  sent  Muhinna  and  INIakatubu  after  him, 
with  a  government  Snider  and  some  more  cloth,  but  though 
they  returned  without  these  articles,  they  brought  only 
veiled  threats  that  unless  he  received  satisfaction  he  would 
play  the  deuce  with  us  in  a  manner  that  would  not  please 
us.  He  had  brought  down  a  fat  bullock  with  him  in  the 
morning,  and  he  took  care  to  let  us  know  that  we  had  better 
not  touch  it. 

Here  was  a  proper  quandary  to  get  into  !  For  well  I  knew 
that  Mandara's  threats  were  not  empty  words.  He  could 
without  a  doubt  irretrievably  "  smash  up  "  the  caravan  in  the 
dense  forests  of  the  Kaho  if  we  attempted  to  go  on  without  his 
leave,  and  without  a  guide.  At  that  moment  he  had  over  1000 
Wa-kAvafi,  his  allies  from  Mount  Meru,  staying  with  him,  pre- 
paring for  an  attack  on  a  neighbouring  state ;  combining  his 
own  men  with  these,  he  could  place  over  2000  of  the  most 
daring  warriors  in  all  that  region  in  the  field. 

Next  morning,  therefore,  perceiving  the  gravity  of  the  situa- 
tion, I  with  much  reluctance  got  out  my  own  trusty  double- 
barrelled  smooth-bore,  which  I  had  carried  on  my  two  pre- 
vious expeditions,  a  steel  box,  a  suit  of  thick  tweed  complete, 
a  pair  of  shoes  which  I  mentally  wished  I  could  compel  him 
to  wear,  and  a  few  more  articles.  Feeling  in  a  very  un- 
amiable  mood  at  thus  being  made  involuntarily  the  instrument 
for  introducing  the  manifold  blessings  of  European  civilized 


Consulting  the  Oracle.  85 

garments  and  good  weapons,  I  started  off  for  Mandara's,  and, 
on  reaching  his  residence  and  remonstrating  with  him  on  his 
high-handed  proceedings,  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  smooth 
matters  oyer,  and  to  part  on  friendly  terms,  getting  from  him 
his  own  spear  and  sime  (sword)  besides  several  minor  articles, 
all  splendid  specimens  of  Wa-chaga  workmanship.  As  we  were 
leavingjSome  of  his  scouts  returned,  and  on  their  firing  their  guns 
from  the  opposite  side  of  the  Chora  valley,  in  token  of  success, 
he  jumped  and  danced  about  like  a  boy  released  from  school, 
yelled  out  his  war-cry,  and,  twirling  a  knobkerry  in  the  air, 
looked  the  very  incarnation  of  war.  leaden  with  presents, 
amongst  which  was  an  enormously  fat  sheep,  with  a  tail  of 
abnormal  dimensions  and  huge  dewlaps,  we  returned  to  camp 
and  prepared  to  start  on  the  morrow,  having  lost  four  days 
by  the  Masai  scare. 

In  the  evening  three  guides  arrived  from  Mandara,  and 
Muhinna  consulted  the  oracle  to  find  out  what  awaited  us 
ahead.  Taking  eighteen  small  sticks  about  two  inches  in 
length,  he  placed  them  on  a  piece  of  paper  in  a  particular 
order  outside  the  camp.  After  sprinklLig  some  flour  and  re- 
citing an  incantation  in  Ki-zeguha  over  them,  he  put  some 
bushes  on  the  top  to  prevent  their  being  disturbed.  After  a 
certain  interval,  if  two  have  advanced  forward,  then  the  road 
is  good,  and  their  is  nothing  to  fear.  If  they  have  remained 
as  they  were  laid  do\vn,  the  oraele  has  nothing  good  or  bad  to 
say  about  the  route  or  prospects ;  but  if  they  are  all  scattered, 
then  the  look-out  is  gloomy  in  the  extreme. 

In  the  morning  we  foimd  that  the  oracle  had  remained 
neutral,  though  the  rain  came  down  in  torrents,  and  the 
guides  struck  for  prepa)Tnent.  Not  to  be  deterred  by  either 
rain  or  guides,  I  struck  camp,  and  hurried  away  from  the 
hateful  place  more  lightly  both  in  a  mental  and  physical 
sense,  for  had  we  not  been  relieved  of  a  load  of  care  as  well 
as  one  of  very  valuable  goods  1 

This  was  the  first  march  in  drenching  rain  we  had  yet 
experienced.  It  was  made  all  the  worse  by  the  tall  grass 
through  which  we  had  to  force  our  way.  An  hour  after 
leaving  camp  we  crossed  a  small  stream,  and  then  plimged 
into  a  gloomy  forest,  made  dangerous  by  the  numerous 
treacherous  game-pits,  into  which  one  or  two  of  the  men  got 
some  nasty  falls.  Though  Muhinna's  oracle  had  predicted 
nothing  bad,  we  speedily  lost  our  way  among  the  numerous 
bewildering  paths,  and  were  hieing  merrily  towards  Uru  of 
Chaga,  when  our  refractory  guides,  who  meanwhile  had  re- 


86  Through  Masai  Land. 

turned  to  their  senses,  stopped  us,  and,  talcing  the  lead,  con- 
veyed us  through  the  labyrinthine  forest,  preventing  what 
might  have  been  a  very  awkward  mistake.  In  fact  it  would 
have  been  quite  impossible  to  get  through  without  a  guide,  as 
I  was  forcibly  reminded  by  the  adventures  of  Eebmann,  who, 
running  away  from  the  chief  of  Machame,  when  plundered  by 
him,  lost  his  way  in  this  very  same  forest,  and  wandered 
about  for  several  days  nearly  starved. 

At  10.30  we  reached  the  Kahe  river,  where  it  is  formed  by 
the  junction  of  the  Eau,  from  the  north  of  Moschi,  and  the 
Uraru,  Avhich  rises  at  the  base  of  the  mountain.  "With  some 
difficulty  we  crossed,  and  then,  seeing  the  men  looking  ex- 
cessively miserable  in  the  wet  morning,  I  took  pity  on  them, 
and  gave  orders  to  camp. 

In  the  evening  I  went  out  hunting,  but  only  saw  one 
giraffe.  In  other  respects,  however,  the  stroll  was  very  en- 
joyable. I  have  never  seen  a  more  charming,  park-like  scene. 
It  makes  one  quite  melancholy  to  see  such  rich  tracts  lying 
thus  deserted,  when  tribes  like  the  "Wa-teita  on  their  barren 
mountains,  and  the  still  more  miserable  "VVa-duruma,  are  ever 
struggling  with  but  poor  success  to  eke  out  a  wretched 
existence. 

On  the  following  day  we  crossed  the  river  Karanga  where 
it  is  formed  by  the  junction  of  three  streams,  the  Ukambari 
to  the  east,  the  Karanga  in  the  middle,  and  the  Umbo  on 
the  west.  Ten  minutes  farther  on  we  crossed  the  Shili 
stream  from  Kindi,  then  a  fine  large  stream,  the  Seri,  and 
a  few  minutes  later  the  largest  river  we  had  yet  passed,  the 
Weri-weri.  We  found  the  country  literally  ploughed  up 
by  the  tracts  of  enormous  herds  of  buffalo.  Two  hours' 
tramp  through  a  more  bush-clad,  broken  country  (strewed 
with  prodigious  ejected  blocks  of  a  trachytic  rock,  com- 
posed to  a  large  extent  of  sanidine  crystals  an  inch  long, 
porphyritically  dispersed  through  the  mass),  brought  us  to 
a  rapid  river-torrent  of  consideratble  dimensions,  flowing 
in  a  deep  channel  cut  in  coarse  agglomerate.  The  Kikavo 
(for  such  is  its  name)  was  crossed  with  much  difficulty,  owing 
to  the  rapidity  of  the  current  and  the  stony  character  of  the 
bed,  and  we  again  camped.  On  reaching  camp  I  was  seized 
with  a  violent  fever,  which,  after  passing  through  a  cold  and 
dry,  and  then  a  hot  and  sweating  stage,  left  me  considerably 
done  up,  and  unable  to  eat. 

The  country  next  day  was  characterized  by  astonishing 
numbers  of  game,  especially  buffalo,  pallah,  and  a  species  of 


Abundance  of  G-ame.  87 

hartebeest,  which  I  take  to  be  new.  These  last  gaye 
much  pleasing  animation  to  the  scene,  as  they  were  observed 
playing  or  grazing  in  the  grassy  plots,  or  scuttling  away 
with  great  leaps  through  the  bushes  on  our  approach.  The 
buffaloes  added  a  not  inconsiderable  element  of  danger  to 
our  movements,  as  they  galloped  excitedly  across  our  path- 
way. Roused  from  their  deep  midday  sleep,  in  some  dense 
clump  of  bush,  they  would  rush  wildly  out,  heedless  where 
they  were  going.  More  than  once  they  tree'd  several  of  the 
men,  and  caused  a  general  scatter.  My  fever  would  not 
allow  me  to  hold  the  gun  firmly,  so  I  prudently  kept  out  of 
the  way.  Besides,  at  this  time  we  were  comi^elled  to  observe 
the  utmost  caution  in  all  our  movements,  as  we  might  at 
any  moment  stumble  upon  another  Masai  war-party.  It  be- 
hoved us,  therefore,  to  attract  no  danger  unnecessarily,  and 
to  keep  a  strict  look-out  and  allow  no  stragglers.  On  camp- 
ing, also,  we  had  to  be  careful  at  once  to  rush  up  a  boma  of 
great  strength,  and  always  be  ready  for  any  emergency. 

This  evening  I  had  again  a  violent  return  of  the  fever  ; 
and  during  the  night  a  lively  chorus  of  hyenas,  followed 
by  a  concert  of  lions,  added  to  the  amenities  of  the  situ- 
ation. 

On  the  28th  of  April  we  reached  the  eastern  flanking 
buttress  of  Kibo,  forming  the  district  of  Shira,  though  on 
its  southern  aspect  lies  the  important  state  of  Macham^. 
From  the  manner  in  which  this  great  buttress  is  carved  into 
deep,  gloomy  gorges  running  north  and  south  by  the  Karanga, 
the  "Weri-weri,  and  the  Kikavo,  we  may  assume  that  it  is 
one  of  the  older  parts  of  the  mountain. 

At  one  place  we  observed  an  ejected  block  which  would 
weigh  little  less  than  twenty  tons.  It  was  here  noticeable 
that  the  agglomerate  of  this  district  contained  fewer  blocks  of 
sanidine  rock,  and  more  of  a  very  compact,  black,  basalt-like 
rock,  usually  with  glazed  surfaces. 

We  crossed  this  day  two  small  streams  and  camped  at  a 
third,  the  Fuoko,  after  a  seven  hours'  march.  Next  day  we 
moved  up  to  the  camp,  near  Kibonoto.  Here  all  the  cara- 
vans bound  for  or  coming  from  the  Masai  country  stop  to 
collect  food,  as  it  is  cheap  and  abundant,  whereas  once  the 
frontier  is  crossed,  no  more  vegetable  food  can  be  procured, 
and  cattle,  sheep,  and  goats  are  only  obtainable  at  exorbi- 
tant prices. 

"We  found  a  boma  and  huts  ready  prepared,  and  we  were 
thus  soon  in  a  state  to  receive  the  Wa-chaga  of    Shira,  whg 


88  Through  Masai  Land. 

speedily  arrived  to  settle  the  question  of  a  present  before 
granting  liberty  to  buy  food.  I  was  much  struck  by  the 
decorous  way  in  which  the  matter  was  discussed,  there  being 
none  of  the  fierce  wrangling  like  cats  and  dogs,  so  character- 
istic of  such  proceedings  among  the  natives  further  south. 

I  now  learned,  to  my  great  annoyance,  that  after  all  I  had 
fallen  on  Fischer's  route.  The  very  line  I  had  marked  out 
for  myself,  on  the  assumption  that  he  was  going  to  proceed 
via  Matumbato  to  Kenia,  was  appropriated,  and  I  must  now 
either  follow  in  his  tracks,  or  attempt  the  extremely  hazard- 
ous route  by  Donyo  Erok.  This,  however,  was  a  small 
matter  compared  with  the  further  news,  that  only  a  few  days 
before  he  had  had  a  fight  with  the  Masai,  with  the  result  of 
bloodshed  on  both  sides,  and  that  the  country  had  been 
thrown  into  a  state  of  profound  excitement. 

This  unpleasant  news  awoke  in  my  men  the  utmost  con- 
sternation. The  look-out  was  gloomy  enough  in  all  con- 
science. The  problem  presented  to  us  was  one  of  remorseless 
hardness.  How  should  we  be  able  to  get  into  the  country 
with  only  150  men,  when  Fischer,  with  some  300,  in  com- 
pany with  a  second  caravan  of  200,  had  had  to  fight  1  I 
could  give  no  satisfactory  answer.  Only  one  thing  I  was 
clear  about.  Though  determined  on  no  account  to  enter 
upon  a  policy  of  adventure,  I  yet  must  make  the  attempt  to 
pass  the  threshold  before  I  turned  my  back  and  confessed 
myself  beaten. 

On  the  day  after  our  arrival,  a  Swahili  runaway  came  as 
a  messenger  of  the  chief  to  make  friends  andbrothers  with  me. 
A  goat  was  brought,  and,  taking  it  by  one  ear,  I  was  required 
to  state  where  I  was  going,  to  declare  that  I  meant  no  evil, 
and  did  not  work  in  ucliaivi  (black  magic),  and  finally,  to  pro- 
mise that  I  would  do  no  harm  to  the  country.  The  other 
ear  was  then  taken  by  the  sultan's  ambassador,  and  he  made 
promise  on  his  part  that  no  harm  would  be  done  to  us,  that 
food  would  be  given,  and  all  articles  stolen  returned.  The  goat 
was  then  killed,  and  a  strip  of  skin  cut  off  the  forehead,  in 
which  two  slits  were  made.  The  M-swahili,  taking  hold  of  this, 
pushed  it  on  my  finger  by  the  lower  slit  five  times,  finally 
pushing  it  over  the  joint.  I  had  next  to  take  the  strip  still 
keeping  it  on  my  own  finger,  and  do  the  same  for  the 
M-swahili,  through  the  upper  slit.  This  operation  finished,  the 
strips  had  to  be  cut  in  two,  leaving  the  respective  portions 
on  our  fingers,  and  the  sultan  of  Shira  and  I  were  sworn 
brothers, 


FlEST   GLIMPSE   OP   THE   MaSAI.  89 

Fortified  by  this  ceremony,  the  chief  visited  me  in  the 
afternoon,  and  proved  to  be  a  tall,  lubberly  fellow  who  had 
not  a  word  to  say.  Our  interview  was  not,  therefore,  very 
diverting.  We  sat  and  stared  at  each  other,  till,  losing 
patience  at  the  irksome  solemnity  of  the  interview,  I  had  to 
devise  means  to  get  rid  of  him.  In  this  I  succeeded,  after 
giving  him  a  dose  of  Eno's  fruit  salt,  backed  up  by  a  shock 
from  the  magnetic  machine,  as  an  infallible  medicine  of  a 
kind  more  commonly  asked  for  at  home  than  in  eastern 
countries. 

"We  were  now  kept  in  expectation  of  hearing  from  the 
Masai  as  to  what  reception  they  proposed  giving  us.  It  was 
not,  however,  till  the  evening  of  the  third  day  that  any  reli- 
able news  was  received. 

Several  Masai  women  who  had  been  to  Kibonoto  to  buy 
food  from  the  Wa-chaga,  came  into  our  camp  on  their  return. 
They  entered  with  a  mincing,  half-dancing  step  and  peculiar 
motion  of  the  body,  chanting  a  salutation  all  the  time. 
Each  one  carried  a  bunch  of  grass  in  the  hand,  in  token  of 
peace  and  good-wilL  On  seeing  Sadi  with  his  venerable 
aspect  and  attractive  manner,  they  ambled  up  to  him  and 
seized  his  hand,  still  chanting  away  with  a  curious,  undu- 
lating movement  of  the  body.  The  men  had  crowded  out  to 
see  and  hear  this  to  them  new  and  unwonted  sight,  and 
they  literally  roared  with  laughter  at  my  embarrassment,  as 
the  women  laid  hold  of  me,  on  being  informed  that  I  was 
the  "big  man"  of  the  caravan.  The  chant  finished,  we 
were  informed  that  the  Masai  had  been  holding  many 
consultations  about  us,  but  that  after  much  quarrelling, 
they  had  concluded  to  send  a  deputation  to  interview  me  on 
the  morrow.  Next  day,  therefore,  we  were  kept  in  an  excit- 
able and  anxious  condition  till  we  learned  our  fate.  In  the 
afternoon  this  reached  its  climax,  when  from  the  labyrinths 
of  the  surrounding  forest  a  fine  musical  chant  was  raised. 
The  word  was  passed  round  that  the  Masai  had  come. 
Seizing  a  tuft  of  grass  in  one  hand,  and  our  guns  in  the 
other,  in  token  that  we  meant  peace,  but  were  prepared  to 
fight,  we  proceeded  outside  to  hear  our  fate.  Passing 
through  the  forest,  we  soon  set  our  eyes  upon  the  dreaded 
warriors  that  had  been  so  long  the  subject  of  my  waking 
dreams,  and  I  could  not  but  involuntarily  exclaim,  "  What 
splendid  fellows  !  "  as  I  surveyed  a  band  of  the  most  peculiar 
race  of  men  to  be  found  in  all  Africa. 

After  a  most  ceremonious  greeting  performed  with  much 


90  Through  Masai  Land. 

gravity  and  aristocratic  dignity,  their  great  shovel-headed 
spears  were  stuck  in  the  ground,  their  bullock's-hide  shields 
rested  against  them  on  their  sides,  and  then  the  oil-and-clay- 
bedaubed  warriors  assumed  a  sitting  posture,  with  their 
knees  drawn  up  to  their  chins,  and  their  small  neat  kid-skin 
mantles  enveloping  them.  We  on  our  part  took  position 
opposite  them,  holding  our  guns  in  our  hands.  I,  of  course, 
as  became  my  dignity,  occupied  a  camp-stool. 

After  a  few  Avords  among  themselves  in  a  low  tone,  a 
spokesman  arose,  leisiirely  took  a  spear  in  his  left  hand  to 
lean  upon,  and  then  using  his  knobkerry  as  an  orator's  baton, 
he  proceeded  to  deliver  his  message  with  all  the  ease  of  a  pro- 
fessional speaker.  With  profound  astonishment  I  watched 
this  son  of  the  desert,  as  he  stood  before  me,  speaking  with 
a  natural  fluency  and  grace,  a  certain  sense  of  the  gravity  and 
importance  of  his  position,  and  a  digiiity  of  attitude  beyond 
all  praise.  With  much  circumlocution,  he  sketched  the  story 
of  Fischer's  arrival,  of  the  fight,  its  causes  and  results,  more 
■  especially  laying  stress  on  the  fact  that  a  woman  had  been 
killed,  an  unheard-of  event  in  the  annals  of  their  quarrels 
with  the  Lajombe  (Wa-swahili).  He  then  went  on  to  tell 
how  the  news  of  our  arrival  reached  them,  and  to  describe 
the  excitement  produced  thereby ;  how  a  meeting  of  the 
( married  men  and  the  El-moran  or  warriors  was  called  to  discuss 
^jthe  way  in  which  we  were  to  be  received;  and  how,  finally, 
they  came  to  the  conclusion,  not  without  blows  among  them- 
selves, to  allow  us  to  pass  peaceably ;  in  consequence  of  which 
decision,  he  with  his  companions  were  sent  to  bid  us  welcome 
and  conduct  us  to  their  kraals.  During  this  harangue 
the  knobkerry  was  not  idle,  but  employed  with  much 
oratorical  effect  to  emphasize  his  remarks. 

Sadi  on  our  part,  taking  also  a  knobkerry,  and  with  hand 
resting  on  his  gun,  proceeded  to  reply,  and  as  he  has  an 
unrivalled  knowledge  of  the  Masai  language  and  modes  of 
speech,  besides  a  natural  "  gift  of  the  gab,"  he — inspired  by 
me — told  our  story.  Two  or  three  others  of  the  Masai  then 
spoke  to  the  same  effect  as  their  leading  orator — no  two, 
however,  rising  at  once,  or  if  they  did  so,  a  few  words  between 
themselves  settled  who  was  to  have  the  ear  of  the  meeting, 
while  not  a  word  was  said  by  the  others  beyond  inarticulate 
expressions  of  assent  or  dissent. 

Till  the  formal  speech-making  was  over  each  one  had  sat 
with  unmoved  countenance,  betraying  by  neither  word  nor 
sign  a  consciousness  that  the  second  white  man  they  had  ever  seen 


Crossing  the  Threshold.  91 

in  their  lives  was  sitting  before  them.  On  the  completion, 
however,  of  that  necessary  preliminary,  their  features  relaxed, 
and  they  allowed  themselves  to  show  as  much  curiosity  as 
the^gnitx^of  Mjisai_El:moran  (warriors)  would  permit. 

We  now  adjourned  to  camp  on  the  best  of  terms.  There, 
though  greatly  delighted  with  everything  we  showed  them, 
they  still  carefully  preserved  their  aristocratic  demeanour. 
They  indulged  in  none  of  the  obstrusive,  vulgar  inqmsitive- 
ness  or  aggressive  impertinence  which  make  the  traveller's  life 
a  burden  to  him  among  other  native  tribes.  Of  course  a 
present  was  given  to  them  and  they  stayed  in  camp  aU  night. 

In  the  evening  we  got  a  fine  glimpse  of  Kilimanjaro, 
alternately  hidden  or  revealed  as  great  massive  cumulus  clouds 
rolled  and  tumbled  across  the  face  of  the  mountain.  The 
snow  extends  much  farther  down  on  this  side  of  the  moun- 
tain than  on  any  other.  This  is  probably  owing  to  the  fact 
that  the  prevalent  winds  are  from  the  east.  These  arriving 
warm,  melt  the  snow,  but  get  cooled  in  return,  so  that  on 
reaching  the  western  aspect  their  melting  powers  are  con- 
siderably retluced.  There  seem  to  be  many  precipices  on 
the  upper  region,  for  numerous  black  patches  assert  them- 
selves among  the  snow,  as  if  the  latter  was  unable  to  find  a 
footing.  The  Shira  shoulder  of  the  mountain  appears  here 
as  a  distinct  range  running  across  our  line  of  view,  and 
northward  rises  to  a  height  of  little  short  of  14,000  feet. 

On  the  3rd  of  May  we  proceeded  to  take  the  important 
step  of  crossing  the  threshold  of  the  dangerous  region, 
carrying  with  us  about  eight  days'  food.  Leaving  the  forest 
country  round  the  base  of  Kibonoto,  and  traversing  a  rich 
and  varied  scene,  we  suddenly  emerged,  at  a  height  of  6000 
feet,  on  a  great  treeless  plain  covered  with  a  close  and 
succulent  coating  of  grass  quite  vmdistinguishable  from  the 
pasture  of  more  temperate  climates.  In  the  immediate  fore- 
ground the  country  spread  out  before  us  in  gently  waving 
plains  diversified  by  low,  rounded  ridges,  small  humpy  hills 
or  volcanic  cones,  well  described  in  the  lines  of  Bryant,  ex- 
tending as  they  do — 

"  In  airy  undulations  far  away, 
As  if  the  ocean  in  his  gentlest  swell 
Stood  still,  with  all  his  rounded  billows  fix'd. 
And  motionless  for  ever." 

Such  is  the  country  :  but  see  its  inhabitants  !  There,  to- 
waixis  the  base  of  Kilimanjaro,  are   three  great  herds  of 


92  Theough  Masai  Land. 

buffalo  slowly  and  leisurely  moving  up  from  the  lower 
grazing-grounds  to  the  shelter  of  the  forest  for  their  daily 
snooze  and  rumination  in  its  gloomy  depths.  Farther  out 
on  the  plains  enormous  numbers  of  the  harmless  but  fierce- 
looking  wildebeest  continu.e  their  grazing,  some  erratic 
members  of  the  herd  gambolling  and  galloping  about,  with 
waving  tail  and  strange  uncouth  movements.  Mixed  with 
these  are  to  be  seen  companies  of  that  loveliest  of  all  large 
game,  the  zebra,  conspicuous  in  their  beautiful  striped  skin, — 
here  marching  with  stately  step,  with  heads  down  bent,  there 
enjoying  themselves  by  kicking  their  heels  in  mid-air  or 
running  open-mouthed  in  mimic  fight,  anon  standing  as  if 
transfixed,  with  heads  erect  and  projecting  ears,  watching 
the  caravan  pass.  But  these  are  not  all.  Look  !  Down  in 
that  grassy  bottom  there  are  several  specimens  of  the  great, 
unwieldy  rhinoceros,  with  horns  stuck  on  their  noses  in  a 
most  offensive  and  pugnacious  manner.  Over  that  ridge  a 
troop  of  ostriches  are  scudding  away  out  of  reach  of  danger, 
defying  pursuit,  and  too  wary  for  the  stalker.  See  how 
numerous  are  the  herds  of  hartebeest ;  and  notice  the 
graceful  pallah  springing  into  mid-air  with  great  bounds,  as 
if  in  pure  enjoyment  of  existence.  There  also,  among  the 
tall  reeds  near  the  marsh,  you  perceive  the  dignified  water- 
buck,  in  twos  and  threes,  leisurely  cropping  the  dewy  grass. 
The  wart-hog,  disturbed  at  his  morning's  feast,  clears  off  in  a 
bee-line  with  tail  erect,  and  with  a  steady  military  trot  truly 
comical.  These  do  not  exhaust  the  list,  for  there  are  many 
other  species  of  game.  Turn  in  whatever  direction  you  please, 
they  are  to  be  seen  in  astonishing  numbers,  and  so  rarely 
hunted,  that  unconcernedly  they  stand  and  stare  at  us,  within 
gunshot. 

Look,  now,  farther  ahead.  Near  a  dark  line  of  trees 
which  conspicuously  mark  out  the  course  of  the  Ngare 
N'Erobi  (cold  stream)  in  the  treeless  expanse  around,  you 
observe  in  the  clear  morning  air  columns  of  curling  smoke, 
and  from  the  vicinity  strange  long  dark  lines  are  seen  to 
emerge  like  the  ranks  of  an  advancing  army.  The  smoke 
marks  the  kraals  of  the  Masai  and  the  advancing  lines  are 
their  cattle  moving  l,owards  the  pasture-ground.  If  you  will 
now  imagine  a  long  line  of  men  moving  in  single  file  across 
tliis  prairie  region,  carrying  boxes,  bales,  packages  of  iron 
wire,  &c.,  headed  by  myself,  and  brought  up  in  the  rear  by 
Martin,  while  a  cold,  piercing  wind  blows  with  the  freezing 
effect  suggestive  of  an  early  spring  in  Scotland,  you  Avill  be 


A  Portentous  Reception.  93 

able  to  form  a  picture  of  the  scene  which  presented  itself  on 
that  memorable  morning  in  April.  In  order  to  find  a  frame 
for  the  picture,  just  glance  round  at  the  circle  of  mountains. 
There  to  the  right  rises  Blount  Meru,  now  seen  in  all  its 
simple  but  grand  proportions,  forming  a  fitting  pillar  to  the 
"  door  "  of  the  ^fasai.  On  your  left  stands  the  second  great 
pillar,  Kibo.  From  these  circles  an  apparently  almost 
unbroken  range  of  mountains,  rising  into  the  picturesque 
masses  of  Donyo  Erok  and  Ndapduk  in  the  north,  and  finally 
sweeping  round  in  the  less  conspicious  ranges  of  the  Guaso 
N'Ebor  (white  water)  in  the  direction  of  Nguruma-ni  and 
the  cold  heights  of  Gelei,  behind  which  lies  unseen  the  still 
active  volcano  of  Donyo  Ngai. 

Let  us  now  hurry  forward,  for  the  day  is  big  with  fate  ! 
As  we  stride  on,  continually  tempted  to  try  our  shooting 
skill,  the  Masai  begin  to  appear.  First  a  woman,  well- 
dressed  in  bullock's  hide  and  loaded  with  wire,  beads,  and 
chains,  appears  driving  a  donkey  before  her  as  she  wends  her 
way  fearlessly  towards  Kibonoto  to  buy  the  vegetable  food 
eaten  by  the  married  people  and  children.  It  is  war  to  the 
death  between  the  male  Masai  and  Wa-chaga,  but  a  treaty 
allows  the  women  to  go  unhurt  and  without  protection. 
Next,  two  or  three  poor  men  are  descried  engaged  in  the 
menial  task  of  herding  and  tending  the  cattle.  As  we  near 
the  kraals  the  El-moran  (warriors  or  unmarried  men)  begin 
to  turn  out  in  parties  to  see  the  "  latest  thing "  in  men. 
They  do  not  hurry  themselves,  however.  They  survey  us 
leisurely,  and  by  neither  word  nor  sign  betray  any  feelings 
of  astonishment.  As  we  pass  them  in  succession  we  pluck 
some  grass  and  gravely  shake  hands.  Addressing  them  as 
El-moran,  we  wait  till  an  inarticulate  sound  intimates  they 
have  ears.  Then  we  say  "  Subai,"  to  which  they  reply 
"  £bai,"  and  our  introduction  is  over.  Greatly  struck  by 
the  unusual  manners  of  these  savages,  so  different  from  the 
notion  we  have  formed  of  them,  we  move  on,  not  a  bit 
inconvenienced  by  crowding  or  annoyed  by  rude  remarks. 

Before  noon  we  had  all  reached  the  ice-cold  waters  of  the 
snow-fed  Ngare  N'Erobi,  which  rises  in  its  full  volume  at  the 
base  of  the  mountain.  We  camped  in  a  sharp  beud  of  the 
stream  where  it  almost  surrounds  a  bit  of  level  sward.  Our  first 
care,  of  course,  was  to  make  the  boma,  and  thoroughly  fortify 
ourselves.  So  far  everything  had  gone  on  swimmingly,  though 
I  was  quite  bewildered  by  my  unexpected  reception,  and  felt 
as  if  there  was  something  portentous  in  the  whole  affair. 


94  Through  Masai  Land. 

The  news  of  our  arrival  soon  spread.  The  Masai  men  and 
women  began  to  crowd  into  camp,  and  we  mutually  surveyed 
each  other  with  equal  interest.  The  women  had  all  the 
style  of  the  men.  With  slender,  well-shaped  figures,  they 
had  brilliant  dark  eyes,  Mongolian  in  type,  narrow,  and  with 
an  upward  slant.  Their  expression  was  distinctly  lady-like 
(for  natives),  and  betrayed  their  ideas  in  more  ways  than  one. 
Obviously  they  felt  that  they  were  a  superior  race,  and  that 
all  others  were  but  as  slaves  before  them. 

I  purposely  do  not  enter  at  this  point  into  any  special 
details  regarding  this  remarkable  people.  A  full  description 
of  their  appearance  and  manners  and  customs  will  fall  more 
naturally  into  a  later  chapter.  At  present  we  have  to  deal 
simply  with  events. 

Tents  having  been  pitched,  and  goods  stacked,  properly 
covered  from  peering  eyes,  and  surrounded  with  a  strong 
guard,  the  more  serious  business  of  the  day  commenced. 
Wire,  beads,  and  cloth  were  taken  into  the  tent,  so  that  we 
might  prepare  to  dole  out  the  black  mail — the  "  chango  "  of 
this  district,  the  "  hongo  "  of  the  region  further  south.  We 
had  not  long  to  wait,  A  war-chant  was  heard  in  the  distance, 
and  soon  a  party  of  El-moran,  in  all  the  unctuous  glory  of  a 
new  plastering  of  grease  and  red  clay,  ajipeared,  marching  in 
single  file,  and  keeping  step  to  their  song,  their  murderous 
spears  gleaming  in  the  sun  as  they  gave  them  now  and  then  a 
rotatory  movement.  They  carried  their  heavy  shields  by 
their  side,  on  which  was  seen  the  newly-painted  heraldic 
device  of  their  particular  clan.  As  they  neared  our  camp 
they  halted,  and  proceeded  to  go  through  a  variety  of 
evolutions  distinctly  military.  This  finished,  Muhinna 
advanced,  and  held  a  consultation  with  them  in  the  decorous 
manner  already  described. 

This  conversation  settled  the  amount  we  were  required  to 
pay.  For  each  party  (and  there  were  six  of  them)  Ave  had  to 
make  up  six  senenge  (a  senenge  is  a  coil  of  twenty  rings  of  iron 
wire  about  fifteen  inches  in  diameter,  which  forms  one  leg 
ornament  when  coiled  round  from  ankle  to  knee),  five  cloths 
(naiberes),  thirty  iron  chains,  and  one  hundred  strings  of 
beads.  The  scene  that  ensued  on  tlie  division  of  the  spoil 
was  more  after  my  preconceived  notion  of  their  ways,  but  was 
not  encouraging.  The  El-moran,  having  laid  aside  their 
spears  and  shields,  stand  ready  in  a  hollow  group.  My  men, 
advancing  with  the  liongo,  suddenly  throw  it  into  the 
midst,  and  run  for  their  lives  out  of  the  way.     With  a  grand 


Critical  Moments.  95 

yell  the  warriors  precipitate  themselves  upon  the  articles,  on 
the  principle  of  "  every  one  for  himself  and  the  devil  take 
the  hindmost."  A  few  of  the  boldest  get  the  lions'  share.  In 
some  cases  two  have  seized  the  same  article.  It  may  be  a 
bunch  of  beads,  and  the  matter  is  settled  by  the  strings  being 
torn  in  twain,  each  one  carrying  off  a  handful,  leaving  a  large 
number  strewed  on  the  ground.  If,  however,  the  disputants 
have  seized  a  senenge,  then  the  matter  becomes  more  serious. 
They  rave  and  tear  like  a  couple  of  dogs  over  a  bone,  and  if 
somewhat  equally  matched  the  blood  gets  heated  and  simes 
are  drawn,  or  knobkerries  wielded.  Two  men  thus  received 
some  very  ugly  flesh-wounds,  which,  however,  did  not  draw 
forth  any  comment  from  the  on-lookers.  A  pack  of  half- 
8tar\'ed  wolves  suddenly  let  loose  on  small  animals  could  not 
have  made  a  more  ferocious  and  repulsive  exhibition. 

Party  after  party,  each  from  its  own  district,  arrived  and 
received  this  tribute,  and  my  spirits  sank  as  I  saw  load  after 
load  disappear.  How  could  we  ever  hope  to  travel  many 
days  further,  if  such  was  to  be  our  fate  t  Then  the  El- 
moruu  (or  married  men)  had  to  receive  their  share,  which 
was  much  smaller  and  more  peacefully  divided.  Finally  the 
important  Lybons  (medicine-men),  Lengobe,  ^Ibaratien,  and 
Lambarsacout,  had  also  to  be  attended  to  individually. 

Towards  evening  the  camp  was  crowded,  and  in  response 
to  repeated  cries  for  the  white  Lybon,  backed  up  by  insolent 
attempts  to  tear  open  the  door  of  my  tent,  I  had  to  step  out 
and  bow  my  acknowledgments,  though  inwardly  muttering 
maledictions  upon  them,  as  I  was  still  weak,  ill,  and  irritable 
from  the  repeated  attacks  of  fever,  the  effects  of  which  still 
himg  about  me.  Submitting  to  the  inevitable,  I  sat  down  on 
a  box,  the  cynosure  of  every  eye.  They  had  now  lost  their 
calm  and  dignified  bearing,  and  had  become  rude  and  obtru- 
sive ;  the  Ditto  (young  immarried  women)  being  the  most 
insolent,  and  not  showing  the  slightest  trace  of  fear. 

For  some  time  I  endured  with  patience  their  annoying"^atten- 
tions,  let  them  touch  me  on  the  face,  feel  my  hair,  push  up  the 
sleeve  of  my  coat,  and  examine  with  intense  curiosity  my  boots. 
At  last,  however,  growing  bilious  and  irritable,  especially  at  the 
repeated  attempts  of  one  ferocious-looking  warrior  to  turn  up 
my  trousers  to  see  the  natural  integimient  below,  I  gave  him  a 
push  with  my  foot.  "With  fury  blazing  in  his  face,  and  pre- 
senting the  most  diabohcal  aspect,  he  sprang  back  a  few  steps, 
drew  his  sime,  and  was  about  to  launch  himself  upon  me.  I 
slipped  aside,  however,  and  was  speedily  surrounded  by  the 


96  Theough  Masai  Land. 

guard,  while  some  of  the  El-moruu  laid  hold  of  him,  and,  as 
he  would  not  be  pacified,  led  him  away. 

Matters  were  further  enlivened  by  a  Masai  picking  up  an 
axe  in  the  centre  of  the  camp,  and  clearing  off  with  it.  This 
caused  a  dangerous  rush,  which,  being  misunderstood,  made 
my  men  seize  their  guns.  A  very  slight  accident  would  have 
caused  bloodshed  and  a  general  fight  at  this  moment,  but  I 
contrived  to  yell  out  to  them  in  time  not  to  fire ;  and  so  ended 
the  events  of  the  day,  the  summing  up  of  which  did  not 
increase  my  cheerfulness,  though  I  Avas  of  too  sanguine  a 
temperament  to  despair. 

On  peeping  out  of  the  tent  next  morning  with  the  bracing 
feeling  incidental  to  a  temperature  of  only  61°,  I  was  much 
impressed  by  the  sight  of  Sadi  marching  round  the  camp 
with  gun  held  at  the  salute,  and  a  white  flag  raised  aloft,  on 
Avhich  were  written  some  verses  of  the  Koran,  which  were 
supposed  to  have  some  magical  influence.  As  he  moved  along  in 
the  stilted  manner  of  an  army  recruit  learning  his  paces,  he 
recited  aloud  in  the  Masai  language  intimation  to  all  Avhom  it 
might  concern  that  we  had  peaceable  intents,  but,  if  they  stole 
or  did  us  any  harm,  we  had  medicines  of  such  a  potent  kind 
that  they  would  not  escape  scathloss,  as  disease  would  deci- 
mate them  and  their  cattle,  and  manifold  evils  fall  upon  the 
country. 

Taking  a  peep  outside  the  camp,  I  got  a  view  of  Kiliman- 
jaro— now  almost  due  east  of  us — in  the  clear  morning  air. 
The  great  eastern  shoulder  of  Shira  now  bulked  largely  in 
view,  springing  abruptly  from  the  Sigirari  plain,  with  black, 
uninhabited  forest  at  the  base  and  upper  barren  region, 
fluted  and  scaured  into  the  appearance  of  a  cyclopean  file. 
The  snow  cap  of  Kibo  could  be  seen  away  behind,  like  an 
enormous  truncated  cone  rising  from  some  more  ancient 
remnant  of  an  immense  crater  ring.  Before  the  Masai  cattle 
left  their  kraals,  I  went  out  and  supplied  our  larder  by  shoot- 
ing two  fine  zebras.  On  my  return  to  camp  after  this  risky 
step,  I  was  thunderstruck  by  the  unexpected  news  that  the 
whole  country  ahead  of  us  was  up  in  arms  to  oppose  our 
further  progress,  and  to  take  revenge  on  us  for  the  Fischer 
afiray.  They  had  accepted  blood-money  from  him,  because 
he  was  too  strong  to  be  fought  with,  but  now  their  oppor- 
tunity had  come,  and  they  resolved  to  take  full  advantage  of 
it.  The  young  men  of  the  surrounding  country,  ever  ready 
for  a  bit  of  military  excitement,  flocked  to  join  their  friends, 
though  the  chiefs  and  soldiers  of  Ngar^  N'Erobi  were  against 


Reteeat  inevitable.  97 

any  such  action, — a  fortunate  thing  for  us,  as  we  were  made 
aware  what  was  going  on.  The  comfort  of  my  position  was 
not  enhanced  by  a  strong  suspicion  which  now  forced  itself 
upon  me  that  Muhinna  and  Sadi  were  not  acting  in  good 
faith,  but  were  in  fact  doing  their  best  to  ruin  the  caravan. 
"With  bitter  feelings  of  disappointment  and  chagrin,  I  saw 
no  other  course  open  to  me  but  to  retreat  to  Taveta.  VTe 
were  quite  equal  to  any  number  while  we  were  in  camp ;  but 
what  could  we  do,  spread  out  in  single  file,  and  loaded  with 
goods  before  an  enemy  like  the  Masai  1  Then  to  fight  at 
one  place,  even  if  we  were  successful,  would  mean  fighting 
ever  after,  with  the  result  of  finding  ourselves  in  a  very  few 
days  irretrievably  hors  de  combat.  This  would  be  a  fine 
chance  for  sensationalism  and  adventure,  but  that  was  not 
what  I  was  sent  out  for.  I  had  great  faith  also  in  the 
Italian  proverb,  "  He  who  goes  gently  goes  safe ;  he  who 
goes  safe  goes  far,"  and  I  never  doubted  for  a  moment  that, 
to  use  Mr.  Micawber's  sanguine  words,  "  something  would 
turn  up." 

An  ominous  silence  pervaded  the  camp,  contrasting  with 
the  hubbub  of  the  previous  day.  Spies  were  set  to  watch 
us,  but  we  put  on  a  bold  face,  and  talked  coolly  about  going 
on  next  day,  declaring  that  if  we  were  not  allowed  to  pass 
peaceably  we  would  try  the  persuasive  influence  of  gun- 
powder. Prompt  action,  however,  was  required.  Infor- 
mation was  brought  us  that  an  attack  would  probably  be 
made  on  us  next  day,  and  therefore,  to  avoid  a  fight,  I 
resolved  to  anticipate  them  by  retreating  during  the  night. 
All  the  usual  preparations  were  made  in  the  way  of  lighting 
fires,  cooking,  &c.  Nothing  was  disturbed  till  darkness  set 
in,  and  the  last  Masai  out  of  camp.  Word  was  then  quietly 
passed  round  that  for  the  first  time  we  were  about  to  run  away, 
and  that  all  preparation  was  to  be  made  without  bustle.  The 
night  set  in  gloomy  and  dark.  A  black  pall  of  clouds  over- 
spread the  heavens.  Some  rain  sputtered,  and  with  intense 
satisfaction  we  saw  that  a  storm  was  brewing. 

Two  hours  after  sunset,  the  word  was  given  to  pack  up. 
Kot  a  sound  broke  the  stillness  as  each  man  buckled  on  Iub 
belt,  caught  up  his  gun,  and  shouldered  his  load  by  the  light 
of  the  numerous  camp  fires.  Then,  when  all  was  ready, 
more  wood  was  thrown  on  the  fires,  and  we  glided  out  into 
the  blackness  of  night.  Xot  an  object  could  be  seen  to 
guide  our  steps,  so  I  had  to  take  the  lead,  with  compass  in 
hand  and  a  bull's-eye  lantern  \inder  my  coat  to  enable  me  to 

H 


98  Through  Masai  Land. 

read  the  card.  The  men  kept  touch  of  each  other,  while 
Martin  with  the  head-men  and  a  party  of  Askari  brought  up 
the  rear. 

The  first  half-mile  was  the  most  dangerous,  as  we  had  to 
pass  close  to  the  kraal  of  Lengobe,  and  if  our  donkeys 
should  take  a  notion  to  bray,  it  was  impossible  to  foretell 
the  consequences.  As  I  led  the  Avay,  I  got  the  worst  of  it, 
in  the  matter  of  tripping  over  stones,  tearing  my  legs  among 
the  thorns,  or  getting  sad  shocks  to  the  system,  as  more  than 
once  I  dropped  into  holes.  On  these  occasions  the  word 
"  Mawe  !  "  (stones),  "  Miiba!  "  (thorns),  or  "  Shimo!  "  (hole) 
passed  quietly  along  the  line,  to  direct  those  behind.  The 
anxious  moment  at  last  arrived  when  we  must  pass  close  to 
the  kraal,  and  if  the  caravan  had  been  one  of  ghosts  it  could 
not  have  moved  more  silently,  though  now  and  then  a  half- 
suppressed  exclamation  of  "Allah!"  told  that  a  man  had 
fallen  or  got  a  thorn  in  his  foot.  "VVe  passed  safely; 
and  then  we  stepped  out  quicker,  though  in  the  intense 
darkness  our  onward  progress  was  one  of  painful  straining 
and  stumbling.  Now  and  then  we  stopped,  to  let  the  men 
close  up  and  make  sure  that  all  were  safe,  as  it  was  now 
impossible  to  see  a  yard  ahead. 

The  amenities  of  the  night  were  not  enhanced  by  the 
occasional  glare  of  lightning  and  the  muttering  of  thunder 
near  Kibo.  Game  started  away  almost  from  our  very  feet. 
Zebras  thundered  past  in  squadrons.  Hyenas  raised  their 
horrible  yells,  or  made  us  feel  still  more  "  creepy  "  by  their 
laugh.  We  did  not  know  but  that  we  might  run  at  any 
moment  into  the  very  centre  of  a  herd  of  buffalo,  or  have  to 
encounter  the  charge  of  some  wild  rhinoceros.  The  bull's- 
eye  now  proved  of  great  service,  and  directed  the  men  how 
to  go.  About  midnight  we  reached  the  forest  we  had  left 
three  days  before.  Here  our  perplexities  became  worse,  and 
it  seemed  as  if  we  would  have  to  wait  till  daylight.  Eain, 
however,  now  beginning  to  come  down,  and  the  thunder  to 
approach  more  near,  while  the  lightning  was  perfectly 
dazzling,  we  made  a  determined  spurt,  and  finally,  limp, 
footsore,  scratched  and  torn,  we  groped  our  way  into  camp 
just  as  the  storm  broke  with  ten'ific  violence.  We  crawled 
into  any  huts  that  came  handy,  feeling  devoutly  thankful 
that  we  had  escaped  such  imminent  danger  to  the  lives  of 
the  men  and  the  fortunes  of  the  Expedition. 

Next  day  the  men  were  in  such  a  state  of  panic  that  at 
daybreak  they  were  actually  for  continuing  the  flight  to  Taveta 


A  PAINFUL  Remindee.  99 

without  a  particle  of  food.  This  I  would  not  hear  of,  and, 
after  adding  some  additional  thorns  to  the  boma,  I  took  a  party 
of  men,  and  visited  the  people  up  the  mountain,  where  I 
collected  sufficient  food  to  keep  us  alive. 

On  the  following  morning,  though  it  was  raining  heavily, 
no  one  proposed  to  remain  in  camp,  and  we  started  off 
accordingly;  but  it  proved  to  be  so  cold,  and  the  men  had 
become  so  benumbed  and  paralyzed  that  I  had  to  halt  sooner 
than  I  had  intended.  Several  of  the  men  were  so  devoid 
of  stamina  that  they  would  actually  have  laid  themselves 
down  and  died  rather  than  exert  themselves,  but  for  the 
warming  influence  of  a  stick. 

Continuing  our  march,  we  reached  the  Kikavo,  not 
however  without  adventure.  I  had  got  separated  from  my 
men,  and  was  pushing  on  alone,  when  suddenly  I  emerged 
from  a  clump  of  bush,  and  stood  facing  a  rhinoceros.  In  a 
twinkling  my  gun  was  at  my  shoulder,  and  bang  it  went, 
followed  by  a  yell  from  myself — caused  by  the  trigger-guard 
striking  in  its  recoil  a  finger  suffering  from  whitlow — a  matter 
which  I  had  at  the  moment  forgotten  till  reminded  in  this 
painful  manner.  As  I  squirmed  about  in  pain,  I  was  heedless 
of  rhinoceros  or  any  other  thing ;  I  could  only  notice  that 
like  myself  the  animal  twirled  round  as  if  dazed  by  the  effect 
of  the  ball,  till,  recovering  itself,  it  made  slowly  off.  I  did 
not  attempt  to  foUow  it,  but  went  on  with  twitching  face,  to 
rejoin  my  men,  who  on  seeing  my  lugubrious  expression,  and 
my  arm  in  nursing,  thought  some  more  serious  mishap  had 
befallen  me. 

On  nearing  the  Kikavo  our  attention  was  absorbed,  and 
my  finger  forgotten,  by  a  sound,  so  completely  resembling  the 
low  growling  of  Hons  that  we  all  stood  transfixed,  plainly 
saying  "  Lions !  "  by  our  features.  Fired  at  once  by  the 
thought  of  shooting  one  of  their  majesties,  we  proceeded  to 
stalk  them  with  aU  due  caution.  Nearer  and  nearer  we  got 
as  we  dodged  from  stone  to  stone,  or  bush  to  bush,  our  faces 
streaming  with  perspiration,  and  our  hearts  palpitating  with 
excitement. 

At  last  we  seemed  to  be  within  a  few  feet  of  the  royal 
animals,  but  we  began  to  think  this  was  rather  too  good  a 
thing,  as  we  could  not  see  our  quarry.  I  was  canvassing  my 
companions  with  inquiring  looks  as  to  what  should  be  done, 
when  we  were  instantaneously  upset  by  a  tremendous  rush 
of  over  a  hundred  buffaloes.  We  had  almost  got  right  among 
them  without  seeing  them.     Disappointed  in  our  expecta- 

H  2 


100  Theough  Masai  Land. 

tions,  and  unable  to  get  a  shot  in  the  dense  bush,  we 
proceeded  to   camp. 

In  the  evening  Bedue,  when  out  hunting,  saw  and  fired  at 
a  small  herd  of  elephants.  Taking  Brahim  with  me,  I  started 
off  next  day  in  the  hope  of  coming  upon  the  elephants.  Fol- 
lowing their  tracks  made  on  the  previous  day,  we  wandered 
about  for  over  an  hour  without  seeing  anything.  "VVe  sighted 
a  buffalo,  however,  and  I  gave  it  one  shot  which  Avas 
evidently  sufficient  for  it,  as  it  went  off  slowly,  with  low, 
deep  moans.  We  had  to  follow  it  very  warily,  as  there  is 
no  more  dangerous  animal  when  wounded.  At  last  we  lost 
its  spoor  among  the  numerous  new  tracks,  and  having  no 
time  to  devote  to  it,  I  went  on  to  the  Weri-weri,  where  I 
found  my  men  had  encamped.  I  made  them,  however, 
strike  at  once,  and  forward  we  hastened  again.  At  the 
crossing-place  of  the  Karanga  I  shot  a  waterbuck  dead 
through  the  heart,  and  half  a  mile  farther  on  a  hartebeest  by 
a  ball  in  the  eye  from  a  distance  of  200  yards. 

We  camped  at  the  Kahe  river,  which  we  found  nearly 
neck-deep.  The  day  before  it  had  evidently  been  swollen  to 
the  brim,  and  must  have  been  quite  impassable.  The  next 
march  brought  us  to  the  Himu,  and  on  the  12th  of  May  we 
re-entered  Taveta. 


CHAPTEE  V. 

PREPARATION    FOR   A   NEW   ATTEMPT. 

It  was  no  easy  matter  for  me  to  assume  a  calm  exterior  on 
entering  the  forest,  and  facing  my  Wa-taveta  and  Wa-swahili 
friends,  from  whom  I  had  parted  less  than  a  month  before,  full 
of  such  joyous  anticipations.  But  I  had  to  make  the  best  of 
it,  and  appear  unconcerned,  though  filled  with  the  gall  of  dis- 
appointment. 

If  I  had  allowed  myself  to  reason  out  my  position,  and 
state  the  matter  frankly,  I  would  have  been  compelled  to 
admit  that  my  case  was  desperate,  and  that  with  the  caravan 
I  had,  and  guides  such  as  Sadi  and  Muhinna,  there  was  little 
hope  of  my  ever  getting  beyond  the  tlireshold  of  the  Masai 
country,  or,  if  once  past,  of  ever  getting  back.  I  had,  how- 
ever, not  yet  lost  confidence  in  my  lucky  star,  and  I  battled 


A  Ron  TO  the  Coast.  101 

with  the  dark  hosts  of  doubt  and  uncertainties  which 
threatened  to  close  around  and  paralyze  all  action.  One 
thing  I  saw  clearly,  that  it  would  never  do  to  sit  down  and 
mojie  over  my  misfortunes.  Prompt  action  was  required. 
More  goods  must  be  got,  and  a  few  more  men  j  MuLinna, 
who,  I  was  convinced,  had  acted  traitorously,  must  be  taken 
to  the  coast,  and,  if  a  substitute  could  be  got,  left  there.  At 
first  I  thought  of  sending  Martin  to  do  this  work,  as  I  was 
afraid  of  the  consequences  of  leaving  my  now  demoralized 
men  in  his  charge  ;  but  on  second  thoughts,  I  concluded 
that  I  should  be  able  to  do  the  work  quicker  and  more 
satisfactorily,  while  I  was  con^'inced  that  inaction  at  the 
present  low  ebb  of  my  affairs  would  kill  me. 

The  trials  of  my  situation  were  considerably  aggravated  by 
the  action  of  my  men.  They  became  insolent  and  mutinous, 
and  demanded  to  be  led  to  the  coast  when  they  heard  that  I 
was  going  there.  They  threatened  to  desert,  and  altogether 
acted  in  a  most  outrageous  manner.  I  remained  firm,  how- 
ever, and  would  not  give  way  one  iota.  The  guns  were  once 
more  taken  possession  of,  and  locked  up,  and  by  prompt 
punishments  I  brought  them  to  their  senses  in  a  manner  they 
little  expected. 

Two  days  sufficed  to  put  my  affairs  in  order,  and,  selecting 
four  porters,  two  askari,  and  four  head-men,  Muhinna, 
Makatubu,  Brahim,  and  Bedue,  I  started  on  ^Nlay  15th.  Two 
marches  brought  us  to  the  Matate  stream,  a  distance  by  the 
road  of  little  short  of  seventy  miles.  The  third  took  us  to 
Ndara,  where  I  revisited  !Mr.  Wray  in  his  mountain  sinecure, 
looking  healthy,  and  evidently  not  becoming  thin  over  his 
missionary  labours. 

Leaving  Xdara,  we  performed  a  pedestrian  feat  which 
probably  has  never  been  equalled  in  the  annals  of  African 
travelling.  We  had  been  informed  that  there  was  plenty  of 
water  on  the  road,  and  that  we  should  certainly  find  the 
precious  element  between  Maungu  and  Taro.  Acting  "on  this 
assurance,  we  started  at  daybreak,  with  only  a  little  drop  of 
water  in  my  bottle.  We  reached  Maungu  shortly  after  10 
a.m.,  and  rested  for  half  an  hour  to  eat  a  bit  of  fowl.  We 
here  finished  off  our  wat^r,  and  did  not  think  it  necessary  to 
waste  time  ascending  the  mountain  for  a  new  supply.  We 
had  not,  however,  got  well  clear  of  Maungu,  before  we  saw 
abundant  signs  that  the  country  was  much  drier  than  when 
we  passed  before.  In  fact  the  entire  region  was  literally 
burnt  up,  and  hardly  a  blade  of  green  grass  was  to  be  seen. 


102  Through  Masai  Land. 

Filled  with  apprehension,  and  regretting  our  thoughtlessness 
in  trusting  to  native  reports,  we  hurried  on  with  a  quickened 
step.  By  midday  we  began  to  feel  thirsty,  from  the  effects 
of  the  sweltering  heat,  and  the  consequent  excessive  perspira- 
tion, but  doggedly  we  pushed  on  with  steady  but  rapid  tread. 
As  the  afternoon  wore  on,  we  had  to  resort  to  bullets  and 
stones  in  our  mouths  as  a  slight  temporary  relief  to  our 
tortures.  The  men — the  best  of  the  entire  caravan — began 
to  lag  sadly  behind,  and  to  complain  of  weak  limbs,  as  well 
as  of  thirst,  from  the,  to  them,  unusual  pace  we  were  going  at. 
Nobody,  however,  stopped  for  his  neighbour,  and  he  might 
have  been  left  to  die  for  any  assistance  he  would  have  got 
from  his  companions.  We  were  still  in  hopes  that  a  little 
drop  of  liquid  mud  might  be  found  in  a  puddle  which  we  had 
seen  on  our  previous  passage.  It  would  be  necessary,  how- 
ever, to  reach  it  before  darkness  set  in,  or  we  should  probably 
miss  it.  As  none  of  the  men  had  loads,  I  felt  no  compunc- 
tion in  putting  my  best  foot  foremost,  and  I  stepped  out  at  a 
pace  that  soon  left  every  man  behind  me  with  the  exception 
of  Bedue,  who,  though  the  laziest  man  I  had,  could,  when  it 
pleased  himself,  make  a  splendid  spurt.  Even  my  rarely 
beat  Brahim  fairly  caved  in,  and  soon  no  one  was  to  be  seen, 
and  no  sound  to  be  heard  but  the  mechanical,  crisp  i-asping 
of  my  heavy  boots  in  the  loose  dry  sand.  My  feet  were  at 
the  boiling-point  with  the  intense  heat,  the  weight  of  the 
boots,  and  the  incessant  friction. 

About  sunset  we  neared  the  hole  where  we  expected  water, 
and  we  almost  broke  into  a  trot,  so  thoroughly  parched  were 
we,  and  so  eager  to  know  whether  there  was  water  or  not. 
A  few  more  steps — a  brightening  of  our  faces,  as  we  saw  a 
pleasing  ring  of  delicate  green  grass,  which  seemed  to  betoken 
water,  and  then  our  hopes  utterly  collapsed,  as  we  stood  in 
the  deluding  circle  and  stared  blankly  at. the  empty  hole. 
"  Goodness  !  there  is  not  a  drop  !  "  "  Allah  !  Hapanna 
maji !  "  broke  simultaneously  from  our  lips,  as  I  sank  down 
on  the  ground  to  rest,  while  Bedue  dug  into  the  soil  with  his 
hands,  to  see  if  there  was  no  water  beneath — a  labour 
performed  in  vain.  I  ordered  him  then  to  fire  his  gun,  to 
make  the  stragglers  believe  we  had  found  water,  so  as  to 
hurry  them  up. 

In  about  half  an  hour,  just  as  darkness  set  in,  they 
trooped  in,  thinking  their  troubles  were  over.  I  was  ashamed 
of  ray  ruse,  on  seeing  the  intense  disappointment  of  my  men, 
who  seemed  to  feel  thirst  more  than  I  did ;  for,  though  they 


•*  Sauve  qui  peut  !  "  103 

drink  as  a  rule  very  little  water,  yet  they  break  down  with 
surprising  rapidity  if  that  little  is  not  forthcoming:  and  with 
regard  to  that,  as  well  as  to  most  other  trials  of  endurance,  I 
have  come  to  the  conclusion,  from  a  considerable  experience, 
that  any  hardy  Englishman  can  beat  any  ordinary  coast  negro 
in  the  long-run.  The  latter  seems  to  begin  at  his  best,  the 
former  seems  always  to  improve.  I  have  never  yet  met  a 
negro  who  could  walk  with  me,  either  for  a  short,  quick 
spurt,  or  a  long,  steady  trial  of  endurance. 

The  expression  of  dismay  having  subsided,  we  took  coun- 
sel with  each  other  as  to  what  we  should  do.  We  unani- 
mously decided  that  as  the  rest  of  the  road  was  fairly  open, 
though  somewhat  thorny,  it  woxild  be  better  to  go  right  on, 
as  it  would  be  killing  work  to  wait  till  next  day,  and  tramp 
on  in  the  terrific  heat  without  a  drop  of  water. 

On  coming  to  this  conclusion,  we  started  at  once  to  our 
feet,  and  proclaiming  a  sauve  qui  peut,  every  one  strode 
forward  according  to  his  abilities.  We  thought  not  of  lions 
in  the  path,  nor  heeded  the  hideous  cries  of  hyenas, — for  to 
these  wUds  did  they  resoit  during  the  day,  going  long  dis- 
tances during  the  night  in  search  of  meat  and  water. 
Through  the  deep  darkness  we  pressed  on  silently,  feeling 
our  way  by  means  of  the  rut  worn  by  the  feet  of  yearly 
caravans,  rather  than  by  anjiihing  we  could  see.  Over- 
hanging branches  struck  our  liices,  and  thorns  scratched  the 
outstretched  hands  held  out  to  protect  them,  but  stoically  we 
suppressed  aU  expressions  of  pain,  only  warning  those  behind 
to  be  on  the  look-out. 

About  midnight  the  gathering  clouds  which  now  overcast 
the  sky  began  to  drizzle  out  a  dripping  rain,  which  mightily 
refreshed  us,  and  shortly  after,  a  great  sighing  and  moaning 
from  the  distance  told  us  that  a  storm  of  some  kind  might  be 
expected.  Gradually  it  advanced,  the  drizzle  gave  place  to 
big  drops,  which  raised  a  noisy  pattering  on  the  trees,  and 
we  hailed  with  delight  a  drenching  torrent  of  rain.  Putting 
my  handkerchief  over  my  head,  it  was  speedily  soaked,  and 
then  I  sucked  it  with  intense  enjoyment.  Greatly  relieved 
inwardly,  though  uncomfortable  in  other  respects,  we 
floundered  on,  ever  imagining  that  we  must  be  near  Tare, 
only  to  find  our  hopes  disappointed. 

At  3  a.m.,  to  our  great  joy,  however,  we  found  we  were 
descending  a  ridge,  which  I  knew  must  be  near  Taro.  With 
husky  voice  I  shouted  out  the  fact,  only  to  get  a  sepulchral 
response  from  Songoro,  "  my  boy,"  who  was  now  my  only 


104  Through  Masai  Land. 

follower,  Bedue  had  fallen  behind ;  Brahim  had  been  no- 
where all  day,  much  to  his  mortification  ;  and  Songoro  had 
unexpectedly  come  to  the  front.  My  feet,  now  fearfully 
tender,  soon  further  convinced  me  that  we  were  near  water, 
as,  on  stepping  on  to  the  firm  bare  rock  of  the  nngurunga  I 
could  hardly  endure  the  excruciating  pain.  I  felt  as  if  I  was 
walking  on  thorns,  so  acute  were  the  sensations.  A  little 
farther  on  I  stumbled  into  a  joint,  nearly  breaking  my  leg, 
and  giving  myself  a  painful  shock.  Kecovering  myself,  I 
staggered  forward  a  short  distance,  and  literally  flopped  down 
in  a  pool  of  water ;  there  I  drank  till  I  reached  the  bursting- 
point,  and  then  seeing  the  futility  of  trying  to  get  any  better 
shelter  in  the  dense  darkness,  or  of  raising  a  fire  in  the 
drenching  rain,  I  threw  myself  down  on  the  bare  rocks, 
heedless  alike  of  the  elements  and  the  imminent  risks  from 
wild  beasts,  and  was  only  roused  from  a  deep  sleep  by  one 
or  two  of  the  men  falling  over  me,  as  they  groped  their  way 
to  the  water. 

In  the  morning  I  awoke,  feeling,  to  my  astonishment, 
nothing  the  worse  for  my  exposure,  or  for  the  enormous 
draughts  of  water  I  had  drunk.  These  I  resumed  at  once, 
and  then  was  further  refreshed  by  finding  a  nice  rocky  pool, 
where  I  stripped,  and  washed  myself  all  over ;  Brahim  and 
Bedue  had  reached  the  water  during  the  night.  With  great 
difficulty  they  contrived  to  raise  a  fire,  at  which  I  managed  to 
dry  my  clothes  piecemeal,  as  I  sat  and  munched  some  boiled 
Indian  com  with  much  satisfaction.  The  other  men,  who 
had  stuck  on  the  road  when  the  rain  came  on,  now  appeared 
one  by  one  or  in  pairs,  and  soon  we  were  all  convened,  look- 
ing rather  seedy  after  our  twenty-two  hours'  march,  during 
which  we  could  not  have  covered  less  than  the — I  may  say — 
unique  distance  of  at  least  seventy  miles.  In  a  straight  line, 
the  distance  from  Ndara  to  Taro  is  forty- five  geographical 
miles,  which  makes  fifty-three  English  miles  ;  and  those  who 
know  the  marvellously  serpentine  course  of  an  African  path- 
way wall  see  how  clearly  within  the  mark  I  am  in  speaking 
of  a  seventy  miles'  march. 

After  some  food  and  rest  we  resumed  our  tramp  at  1 1  a.m., 
— in  a  very  gingerly  manner,  however,  from  the  extreme 
tenderness  of  our  scalded  feet.  Late  in  the  evening  we  halted 
at  an  %mgurunga,  where  we  spent  another  night  in  the  rain, 
worse  oft'  than  Rebmann  under  his  historical  umbrella.  On 
the  following  day  Ave  went  on  with  wet  clothes  through  a 
drenching  rain  without  any  food.     In  our  now  fagged  con- 


Sickening  Trials.  105 

dition,  the  slippery,  muddy  pathways  made  it  more  difficult 
to  go  on.  The  whole  country  presented  a  remarkable  con- 
trast to  its  appearance  when  we  passed  two  months  before. 
Then  everything  was  burnt  up,  and  in  the  sere  and  yellow 
leaf.  Now  the  country  near  the  coast  was  literally  soaked. 
A  fresh  clothing  of  delicate  green  grass  covered  the  ground. 
Trees  were  bursting  with  new  life  and  shooting  forth  new 
leaves  and  sprouts.  Numerous  flowers  to  diversify  the  land- 
scape and  plantations,  promised  rich  yields  of  the  native 
cereals  and  vegetables.  The  Ngombe  nullah,  which  had 
been  dry  when  we  passed  previously,  was  now  a  rushing 
stream  scarcely  fordable. 

At  12  a.m.  we  halted  to  cook  some  Indian  corncobs,  and 
then  resumed  our  march  till,  passing  Kwale,  we  heard  the 
distant  roaring  of  the  ocean  breaking  on  the  coral  reefs,  and 
shortly  after  4  p.m.,  we  entered  the  Rabai  mission  station,  to 
be  greeted  with  expressions  of  alarm  and  astonishment.  We 
had  thus  in  six  marches  cleared  a  distance  of  138  English 
miles  in  a  straight  line,  &c. ;  adding  one  to  every  two  (an  ex- 
ceedingly low  estimate)  as  an  allowance  for  detours  and  wind- 
ings, the  actual  walking  would  be  202,  or  nearly  34  miles  a 
day.  My  men  were  all  well-nigh  exhausted.  In  myself  the 
chief  effect  was  tender  and  skinned  feet,  from  marching  so 
incessantly  in  a  broiling  heat  or  with  wet  boots. 

My  first  business  on  reaching  Mombasa  was  to  despatch  a 
note  to  Zanzibar  by  Brahim,  who  for  this  purpose  had  to 
walk  on  to  Pangani,  a  feat  he  performed  in  five  days. 

I  shall  not  inflict  upon  the  reader  a  tedious  recital  of  all 
the  events  which  marked  my  weary  stay  at  Mombasa  ;  how 
I  failed  in  my  attempt  to  get  another  man  fit  to  replace 
Muhinna  (who  meanwhile  was  ignorant  that  I  suspected 
him) ;  of  the  almost  complete  failure  to  enlist  new  men, 
some  to  go  to  Taveta,  some  to  the  Masai ;  of  the  irritating 
behaviour  of  those  I  did  enlist  almost  driWng  me  mad, 
though  making  me  profoundly  thankful  that  I  had  not 
attempted  to  raise  my  original  caravan  at  the  coast.  My 
temper  was  not  improved  by  a  plague  of  boils,  which  gave 
me  no  ease,  whatever  position  I  might  assume.  The  one 
green  oasis  in  this  sickening  work  was  the  generous  hospi- 
tality of  Messrs.  Lane  and  Taylor,  who  not  only  treated  me 
as  a  favoured  guest,  but  also  did  everything  in  their  power 
to  assist  me. 

On  the  5th  of  June  I  was  surprised  to  hear  the  rattling  of 
an  anchor  chain,  and  running  out  to  Taylor's  verandah,  I 


106  Through  Masai  Land. 

had  the  rare  satisfaction  of  seeing  my  old  friend  H.B.M. 
Steam  Tug  No.  11,  otherwise  known  as  the  Suez.  Colonel 
Miles,  on  receiving  my  letters,  had  at  once  attended  to  all 
my  requests,  and  in  the  course  of  a  day  had  got  everything 
together,  and  as  no  dhow  could  go  north  at  that  season  of 
the  year,  he  got  Captain  Luxmore  to  lend  the  tug.  There 
were  also  kindly  remembrances  from  Mrs,  Miles,  who  made 
up  a  special  box  of  good  things  and  a  bundle  of  newspapers. 
The  most  pleasant  thing  of  all,  however,  was  letters  from 
both,  expressing  strong  belief  in  my  ultimate  success,  and 
encouraging  me  to  another  attempt.  I  was  sorely  in  need  of 
some  such  stimulant,  and  they  had  all  the  effect  .they  were 
without  doubt  intended  to  have.  I  was  more  surprised  at 
receiving  the  Sultan's  salaams,  a  present  of  three  boxes  of 
gunpowder,  and  a  letter  from  him  to  Dugumbi  of  Taveta, 
which  I  may  here  transcribe  in  English  : — 

"  Fro7n  H.H.  Sayyid  Bargash  hin  Said. 

"  To  Dugumbi,  the  slave  of  Saleh  hin  Salem. 

(After  compliments,)  "  Our  friend  Mr.  Thomson  is 
travelling  in  the  interior,  and  will  probably  pass  through  your 
district.  I  desire  you  to  be  ready  in  his  service,  and  treat 
him  with  perfect  respect.  Allow  no  one  to  interfere  with 
him,  and  take  care  that  he  receives  no  injury,  for  he  is  our 
respected  friend.     Salaams,  &c." 

I  now  hurried  on  my  preparations  more  rapidly,  finished 
off  my  correspondence,  and  might  have  started  in  a  couple 
of  days,  but  for  the  annoying  behaviour  of  almost  every  man. 
They  struck  for  more  wages,  or  they  deserted  or  they  got 
drunk  for  days  together,  Muhinna,  I  am  certain,  helped  to 
make  matters  worse,  and  did  all  he  could,  without  running  the 
risk  of  being  directly  found  out,  to  retard  or  make  my  start 
impossible.  I  was  getting  rapidly  reduced  to  a  condition  in 
which  I  was  afraid  I  would  blow  some  culprit's  brains  out. 
Some  I  captured  and  shut  up  in  a  house.  Others  who  had 
deserted,  were  brought  to  their  senses  in  the  fort.  The 
houses  of  those  who  could  not  be  foiuid  I  took  possession  of, 
and,  after  bundling  out  their  families,  put  them  up  for  sale. 
These  high-handed  proceedings  had  a  most  salutary  effect, 
and  in  the  end,  after  manifold  trouble,  I  found  myself  for 
the  second  time  at  Eabai,  on  the  19th  of  June,  ready  for  a 
start,  with  the  following  remarkable  collection  of  men. 
There  were  25  Mombasa  men,  8  mission  boys  from  Frere 
Town,  12  ditto  from  Ral)ai,  8  Zanzibar  (original  lot),  7  Wa- 
dufuma,  7  Wa-teita,  and  1  M-nyika.     These  carried  21  loads 


Second  Start  fkom  Rabat. 


107 


of  senenge  (thick  iron  wire),  10  loads  of  cloth,  5  of  beads,  3 
of  gunpowder,  2  of  stores,  the  rest  miscellaneous, 

I  shall  not  ask  my  readers  to  follow  me  in  detail  on  our 
way  back  to  Ndara.  Our  experiences  were  similar  to  those 
characteristic  of  the  first  march ;  only  we  were  much  more 
heavily   laden.     Before   reaching    Gorah,   two    Wa-duruma 


B0EAS5CS    PAI.]!. 

deserted.  Past  Taro,  three  Mombasa  men  cleared  off,  favoured 
by  a  night-march.  Before  reaching  Maungu,  head-men  and 
all  were  carrying  loads,  while  I  rushed  off  ahead  by  myself  to 
the  mountain,  and  returned  loaded  with  water  to  relieve  the 
most  distressed.  I  then  carried  in  a  load  of  goods  on  my  own 
shoulder.  As  it  was,  some  lay  out  all  night  without  water. 
On  reaching  i^^dara,  I  for  the  third  time  revisited  Mr.  Wray, 


108  Through  Masai  Land. 

aud  found  him  looking  as  stout  and  fat,  though  not  quite  so 
jolly,  as  any  typical  English  farmer.  I  soon  learned  that  he  felt 
himself  anything  but  safe  and  comfortable  among  his  primitive 
flock  the  Wa-teita,  and  was  allowing  his  thoughts  to  run  riot 
on  the  most  disastrous  possibilities.  He  had  a  revolver  always 
handy,  and  had  laid  in  an  extra  supply  of  guns.  He  talked  about 
closing  up  some  holes  in  his  house  where  arrows  might  be 
shot  in,  and  of  prospecting  the  road  in  case  it  should  become 
necessary  to  retreat.  The  elders  of  the  place  had  discovered 
his  weak  points,  and  were  making  the  most  absurd  demands. 
On  my  arrival,  they  had  just  gathered  in  solemn  conclave  to 
lay  down  a  tariff  of  prices  at  which  he  must  buy  whatever 
they  pleased  to  bring  him.  What  did  he  want  there  when  he 
would  not  buy  their  ivory  or  slaves  1  "  We  see  you  do 
nothing  !  "  was  their  constant  remark.  All  this  very  much 
exercised  Mr.  Wray's  spirit,  though  fortunately  it  did  not 
disturb  his  appetite,  and  he  was  glad  to  see  me  appear  at 
this  crisis. 

!Next  day  matters  came  to  a  climax.  They  gathered  once 
more  to  blockade  the  house  and  renew  their  demands.  I 
ordered  them  out  of  the  way.  They  then  moved  along  the 
pathway  a  bit,  and  sat  down,  not  allowing  the  mission  boys 
to  go  and  draw  water.  So  far  I  had  not  thought  it  neces- 
sary to  interfere  in  the  ridiculously  comical  affair,  but  now, 
seeing  my  dinner  threatened,  I  thought  it  Avas  time  to  show 
Mr.  Wray  how  these  things  should  be  taken  in  hand  in  Africa. 
Seizing  a  stick,  and  putting  on  my  most  awe-inspiring  ex- 
pression, I  promptly  "  went  for  "  the  hoary-headed  old  sinners. 
On  my  approaching  and  opening  fire  upon  them,  they  shrank 
in  terror  before  the  uplifted  stick  and  the  bloodthirsty  threats. 
I  told  them  if  they  wanted  to  fight  I  was  ready  to  meet  them, 
as  I  thirsted  for  their  blood.  I  then  seized  the  ringleader 
and  gave  him  a  good  shaking,  applying  my  foot  to  his  beam 
end  to  hasten  his  departure.  I  yelled  out  to  them  that  if  I 
saw  one  of  them  come  near  the  house  again,  I  would  shoot 
him  like  a  hyena  !  They  all  fled  with  dismay,  while  Wray 
betrayed  his  admiration  of  the  proceedings.  He  has,  I  believe, 
proved  a  most  apt  pupil,  having  become  the  very  incarnation 
of  the  church  militant  on  Ndara,  and  consequently  acquired 
the  respect  of  the  inhabitants. 

The  hyenas  in  Ndara  are  described  as  excessivly  voracious, 
and  frequently  drag  children  out  of  the  houses  and  kill  people 
at  night.  Mr,  Wray  showed  me  a  lynx  which  had  been 
caught  on  the  mountain. 


A  SCARED  Thief.  109 

On  retiuning  to  my  men,  I  fonnd  I  had  to  tackle  the  mis- 
sion boys  from  Rabai.  They  demanded  either  an  increase  of 
their  wages  or  their  loads  reduced,  declaring  that  if  I  did  not 
yield,  they  would  desert.  I  laughed  at  them,  and  told  them 
they  might  try  the  latter  course ;  only,  if  they  escaped  my 
bullets,  they  might  expect  to  spend  a  few  months  in  the  fort. 
They  succumbed  at  once  when  they  saw  that  my  method  of 
dealingwith  malcontents  was  somewhat  different  from  the  mild 
rule  of  the  missionaries  who  spoil  them  utterly  by  their  mis- 
taken methods  of  kindness,  and  treat  them  too  much  as  equals. 

At  Gnambua  (Maina's)  I  was  surprised  at  the  respectful 
reception  I  received,  so  different  from  the  robbery  and  trouble 
which  marked  my  previous  visit.  I  soon  learned  the  reason. 
One  of  the  men  who  stole  the  two  guns  from  the  camp,  died 
a  day  or  two  after,  and  this  was  ascribed  to  some  dark 
magic  of  mine,  which  so  frightened  the  other  thief  that  he 
had  actually  carried  the  gun  to  Taveta  and  given  it  up,  a 
proceeding  which  then  very  much  puzzled  me.  I  was  now 
looked  upon  as  a  M-chawi  or  powerful  professor  of  black 
magic,  and  respected  accordingly. 

While  we  stayed  here  to  collect  food  for  the  march  to 
Taveta,  I  resolved  to  hasten  on  myself  to  Taveta,  for  the 
purpose  of  sending  back  a  detachment  of  men  to  carry  water 
and  relieve  the  recruits,  as  there  would  be  no  water  as  far  as 
Lanjora. 

Taking  with  me  Brahim  and  Songoro  as  my  sole  attendants, 
I  started  at  noon  on  my  hazardous  journey  across  the  desert. 
About  sunset  we  reached  our  former  camping-place  of  Mbuyu- 
ni,  where  we  rested  for  half  an  hour,  discussing  a  grilled 
fowl  and  drinking  some  water  from  our  calabashes. 
Resuming  our  march,  we  tramped  on  in  a  fine  starlit  night. 
We  were  occasionally  startled  by  galloping  zebras,  or  by 
antelopes  bounding  out  of  our  way,  and  more  than  once  the 
distant,  awe-inspiring  roars  of  lions  made  us  feel  rather  queer. 
However,  on  we  stumbled,  and  tripped  along  what  had  once 
been  a  footpath,  though  succeeding  rains  had  transformed  it 
into  an  irregular  drain  that  was  infinitely  painful  to  traverse, 
causing  our  feet  to  knock  against  our  ankles,  or  our  ankles  to 
be  almost  twisted  out  of  joint,  and  bringing  us  several  times 
down  on  our  knees.  At  last,  however,  about  2  a.m.,  we 
reached  Lanjora,  but  in  the  deep  darkness  that  now  prevailed, 
we  lost  the  footpath,  and  could  not  find  water.  We  there- 
fore resolved  to  halt  till  morning,  though  in  far  from  a 
pleasant    position.     There  were  nothing  but  thorns  about, 


110  Through  Masai  Land. 

and  the  attempt  to  find  out  a  little  firewood  only  resulted 
in  painful  scratches  and  the  discovery  of  a  few  small  pieces. 
These,  to  our  great  relief,  we  after  some  difficulty  con- 
trived to  light, — for  we  were  beginning  to  feel  extremely 
uneasy  as  a  lion  was  roaring  in  our  immediate  neighbourhood. 
At  last  the  flame  flared  up,  only  to  reveal  nervous  apprehen- 
sion in  each  face.  On  looking  at  each  other,  the  same 
thought  seemed  to  go  through  our  minds,  and  we  laughed 
somewhat  idiotically  and  painfully. 

The  lion  still  continued  to  roar  at  intervals,  and  it  was 
evidently  moving  in  a  circle  round  us.  This  kept  us  awake 
for  a  time,  for  as  our  fire  was  of  the  smallest,  and  would  soon 
burn  out,  we  dared  not  go  to  sleep.  At  last  our  fire  began 
to  glimmer  fitfully,  and  we  felt  we  must  try  to  find  more 
firewood.  The  proceeding  was  one  we  all  shrank  from  in  that 
dark  wilderness.  Some,  however,  had  to  be  got,  and  so  we 
agreed  all  to  sally  out  together.  Brahim  and  Songoro  groped 
about  among  the  bushes,  and  I  stood  over  them  with  gun 
held  ready,  peering  into  the  intense  darkness,  while  "  Toby," 
a  small  terrier  half-breed,  a  present  from  Mr,  Taylor,  clung 
to  my  heels  apparently  in  mortal  terror.  On  securing  a  few 
sticks  we  returned  in  great  trepidation,  feeling  somewhat 
electrically  charged.  It  was  now  arranged  that  one  should 
watch  while  the  others  tried  to  obtain  a  snooze.  Songoro 
took  the  first  Avatch,  and  in  our  worn-out  state  we  were  soon 
sound  asleep. 

But  people  do  not  sleep  in  such  situations  as  they  do  in  a 
comfortable  bed  at  home,  and  well  for  us  it  was  that  we  had 
one  ear  open.  A  curious,  terrified  whine  suddenly  made  us 
all  jump  to  our  feet,  and  with  a  common  impulse  stir  up  the 
firo  till  a  shower  of  sparks  sprang  into  the  air.  Our  guns, 
never  from  our  hands  even  in  sleeping,  were  held  ready,  as, 
turning  our  backs  to  the  fire,  we  peered  with  suppressed 
breath,  body  held  down  and  face  forward,  into  the  darkness. 
Not  a  creature  was  to  be  seen  ;  but  a  faint  rustling  from  the 
grass  beyond,  told  us  that  we  had  had  a  dangerous  visitor, 
without  a  doubt  the  lion.  Looking  round,  we  found  that 
the  whine  had  proceeded  from  Toby,  who  was  shaking  in 
every  limb,  and  still  emitting  a  terror-laden  noise.  Ho 
had  certainly  saved  some  one  of  us  from  a  horrid  death, 
as  Songoro  had  succumbed  to  his  weariness  and  fallen 
asleep,  leaving  the  fire  to  die  almost  o\it.  Brahim  now 
took  his  turn,  and  soon  we  were  again  asleep,  heedless  of 
everything  ;  but   happily  we    remained   undisturbed    till  a 


Our  nbw  Quaetebs  at  Taveta,        111 

twilight-like  light  passing  into  a  deep  crimson  glow  told  us 
mom  had  come. 

Three  hours  more,  and  we  re-entered  for  the  third  time  the 
Tavetan  forest's  shady  depths,  awaking  the  thundering  echoes 
by  our  guns.  "We  were  speedily  sxirrounded  by  the  porters 
and  the  Swahili  traders,  who  ran  about  like  madmen,  firing 
off  their  guns,  shaking  and  kissing  my  hand  amid  vociferously 
expressed  salutations.  I  soon  had  all  anxiety  laid  aside,  as 
on  every  hand  I  was  told  that  all  was  well     Presently  I  met 


-^^^^-^^  - — ^,:*5i^^^ 


NSW   QTTABTSBS   AT   TAVETA. 


Martin,  looking  pale  and  thin,  and  too  much  overpowered  by 
his  feelings  to  do  anything  but  press  my  hand,  as  he 
conducted  me  towards  our  quarters.  To  my  astonishment 
and  admiration,  I  was  led  into  the  centre  of  a  pretty  rustic 
tillage,  where  once  had  stood  the  rankest  jxmgle.  In  the 
midst  of  the  circle  stood  a  fine  baraza  or  palaver  house  in 
the  fashion  of  the  Arabs,  and  beside  it  a  well-built  dwelling. 
From  a  tall  pole  waved  the  English  flag,  flaunting  its  colours 
proudly  in  mid-air.     I  could  hardly  believe  my  eyes  when  told 


112  Through  Masai  Land. 

that  this  magical  transformation  was  Martin's  work,  and  that 
these  were  our  quarters.  I  Avas  now  conducted  inside  our  cosy 
grass-built  house,  and  while  refreshing  the  outer  and  inner 
man,  I  listened  with  intense  interest  to  Martin's  tale  of  trial 
and  trouble. 

And  now  that  we  have  once  more  got  settled  down  in 
comfortable  quarters,  let  us  enjoy  the  luxury  of  "  easy-chair 
geographers,"  and  in  imagination  take  a  comprehensive  view  of 
the  main  geographical  features  of  the  Coast  Eegion,  and 
Kilimanjaro  ;  for  without  such  a  survey  we  should  feel  that 
there  was  a  want  of  back-bone  to  our  narrative ;  in  other 
words,  our  tale  would  be  scientifically  without  a  moral. 

It  must  have  struck  the  most  casual  reader  of  African 
travel,  that  the  glimpses  I  have  presented  to  him  of  the 
characteristics  of  the  country  traversed  as  far  as  Taveta, 
exhibit  a  region  totally  different  from  what  we  are  accus- 
tomed to  as  sketched  by  the  hands  of  Burton  and  Speke, 
Cameron  and  Stanley,  or  even  such  as  I  have  myself 
depicted  in  the  records  of  my  first  expedition.  "We  read  in 
all  these  narratives  of  a  narrow  strip  of  coast  lowlands 
suddenly  terminated  westward  by  a  splendid  mountain 
range,  or  more  properly  plateau  escarpment,  which,  springing 
abruptly  from  the  plains,  towers  cloudward,  and  seems  to 
raise  a  barrier  against  all  approach  to  the  interior.  Which- 
ever may  be  the  route  attempted,  the  main  features  are 
still  the  same.  Pass  by  Saadani  through  U-zeguha,  by 
Bagamoyo  through  U-kami  and  U-sagara,  or  through 
U-zaramo,  U-khutu,  and  the  Kufuta  Mountains,  or  still 
farther  south  through  U-zaramo,  U-khutu,  Mahenge  to 
U-hehe,  and  you  still  meet  with  the  low,  gently  rising  coast 
strip  and  the  picturesque  and  abrupt  moimtain  barrier  before 
the  true  interior  can  be  reached.  This  more  southerly  region 
has  also  other  characteristics.  We  might  imagine  in  the 
manner  of  our  old  romances  that  some  all-powerful  evil 
genius  held  sway  over  the  land,  and  kept  some  lovely  damsel 
or  great  treasure  deep  hidden  in  the  interior,  surrounded  by 
a  land  teeming  with  horrors  and  guarded  by  the  foul  monsters 
of  disease,  of  darkness  and  savagery.  That  land  is  the  pesti- 
lential coast  region  whereso  many  adventurous  modern  knight- 
errants  have  been  doomed  to  die  in  their  attempts  to  reveal 
to  the  world  the  fair  spirit  of  Africa.  Whichever  way  the 
traveller  chooses,  he  finds  foul  swamps  and  marshes, 
swarming  with  horrid  creeping,  slimy  things,  and  through 
these  he  must  wade  by  the  hour  together.      He  leaves  the 


Charactebistics  of  the  Coast  Lowlands.  113 

swamp,  to  slip  and  flounder  over  black  fetid  mud  from 
which  rise  unpleasant  exhalations.  Eain  falls  frequently  in 
torrents,  and  numerous  almost  unfordable  streams  obsliuct 
his  way.  Rotting  vegetation  fills  the  air  with  poisonous 
gases,  and  the  water  he  drinks  is  charged  with  the  germs  of 
disease.  It  would  be  well  if  he  had  to  encounter  only  such 
physical  difficulties,  but,  alas !  such  is  not  the  case.  The 
spirits  of  disease,  like  hell-hounds  let  loose,  seize  hold  of  him. 
They  present  no  shape  to  the  material  eye,  but  from  every 
swamp,  marsh,  and  mud-stretch  they  rise  invisible.  They 
are  drawn  in  by  every  breath,  or  drunk  in  each  drop  of 
water.  Ague  shakes  him  with  its  mighty  hand  till  his  teeth 
rattle  together,  dysentery  strikes  agonizing  darts  into  his 
most  vital  parts,  or  fever  clings  to  him  like  the  shirt  of 
Nessus,  burning  into  his  very  heart.  You  may  think  that 
this  picture  is  overdrawn,  but  such  is  not  the  case.  I  speak 
from  dire  experience,  and  I  need  but  refer  the  reader  to  the 
works  of  almost  every  traveller  to  find  my  description 
substantiated.  It  is  true,  however,  that  it  is  not  alicaya 
thus  ;  and  doubtless  a  more  thorough  knowledge  of  the  seasons 
and  of  the  best  times  to  travel  may  have  modified  the  ex- 
periences of  some  later  explorers. 

The  thoughtful  reader,  acquainted  with  these  familiar 
facts,  wiU  have  noticed  that  the  country  traversed  as  far  as 
Taveta  presents  none  of  these  features.  We  have  met  with 
no  pestilential  coast  region,  and  though  travelling  in  the 
height  of  the  wet  season,  we  have  found  no  swamps  or 
marshes.  On  the  contrary,  we  suJBfer  hardships  for  want  of 
water,  as  we  traverse  upon  the  whole  a  singularly  arid  region. 
I^either  have  we  been  called  upon  to  ascend  any  plateau 
escarpment,  or  cross  any  mountain  range.  A  gentle  rise,  not 
noticeable  to  the  eye,  has  carried  us  over  a  smooth  or  slightly 
undulating  country  culminating  at  Taveta  in  a  height  of 
2350  feet.  "We  have  crossed,  it  is  true,  a  narrow,  low-lying 
area  close  to  the  coast,  and  made  a  sudden  ascent  of  some 
700  feet  to  Rabai ;  but  this  is  in  no  sense  comparable  to  the 
features  we  have  described  further  south.  Geologically  it 
has  no  connection :  and  geographically  a  short  examination 
shows  that  the  Eabai  hills  are  a  mere  local  excrescence,  with 
no  earthly  resemblance  to  the  continental  feature  of  coast 
mountains  succeeding  to  lowlands. 

From  Eabai  of  U-nyika  we  cross  the  slightly  broken 
country  of  Duruma  till  the  Ngombe  nullah  is  reached. 
Here  the  country  breaks  into  a  more  varied  landscape,  and  a 


114  Through  Masai  LAxNd. 

second  slight  step  is  made  in  elevation.  Then  before  reaching 
the  Ziwa  Ariangulo  or  Taro  a  steady,  gentle  ascent  brings  ns 
at  an  elevation  of  2000  feet  to  the  ungurunga  or  rock  basin 
of  that  place.  After  Taro  we  leave  behind  us  the  sandstone 
and  slightly  broken  area  which  geologically  represents  the 
coast  lowlands  further  south,  and  enter  the  metamorphic 
region,  here  not  marked  by  a  towering  mountain  barrier,  and 
indeed  showing  no  surface  indication  beyond  the  glaring  red 
of  the  resulting  soil,  and  the  more  barren  and  sterile  aspect 
of  the  uncultivated  waste,  "We  have  at  this  point  reached 
an  elevation  of  2100  feet,  and  over  the  next  eighty  miles  to 
Taveta  the  rise  is  so  slight  and  so  imperceptible  that  we 
require  the  aid  of  our  instruments  to  tell  us  that  we  have 
ascended  nearly  300  feet. 

An  unbroken  plain,  however,  does  not  lie  in  dreary 
monotony  before  us.  Far  from  it.  The  Teita  mountains 
diversify  and  somewhat  restrict  the  view,  and  form  pleasing 
oases  in  what  would  otherwise  be  a  dreary  scene.  They  have, 
however,  little  connection  with  each  other,  and  cannot  be 
compared  to  the  U-sagara  mountains,  as  they  rise  in  isolated 
masses  from  the  plain  and  have  no  background  of  plateau  to 
which  they  lead  up.  They  are  simply  as  I  have  already 
described  them,  an  archipelago  of  islands  rising  from  a  muddy 
or  a  light  green  sea,  according  as  you  view  them  in  the  height 
of  the  dry  or  in  the  wet  season.  They  are,  however, 
picturesque  in  outline,  with  craggy  masses  protruding  on 
their  surfaces,  precipices  making  certain  parts  inaccessible, 
peaks,  and  domes,  and  ridges  of  the  gneiss  and  garnetif  erous 
Bchists  which  compose  their  mass.  The  peaks  of  Bura 
reach  a  height  of  considerably  over  7000  feet,  Kasigao  or 
Kadiaro  5355,  and  Ndara  6633  feet. 

From  Rabai  to  Taveta  the  traveller  is  not  called  upon  to 
flounder  through  a  single  marsh  or  swamp.  On  the  contrary, 
he  would  thank  God  to  see  such  a  feature  to  the  east  of 
Maunguor  to  the  west  of  Bura.  Over  a  distance  of  120  geo- 
graphical miles  in  a  straight  line,  he  crosses  but  one  stream, 
the  Matatc,  which  in  the  wet  season  is  little  more  than  ten 
feet  broad  and  four  feet  deep.  It  rises  on  the  side  of  Bura, 
and  flows  south.  Some  say  it  goes  to  Wassin  ;  others,  that 
it  joins  the  Umba  river;  while  a  third  party  hold  that  it 
disappears  in  the  wilderness.  Probably  the  last  are  correct. 
Near  its  head-waters  a  second  stream,  the  Voi,  of  somewhat 
larger  dimensions,  rises,  and  flowing  east,  past  the  north  end 
of  Ndara,  reaches,  though  not  always,  the  sea  a  little  north  of 


Notes  ox  the  Climate.  115 

Takaungu,  On  the  eastern  side  of  Bura,  in  the  district  of 
Gnambua  and  Maina*s,  rises  another  small  stream,  which, 
flowing  westward,  speedil)'  becomes  absorbed  in  the  desert. 

This  state  of  things  puts  the  •  traveller  frequently  to 
considerable  straits  for  water,  and  causes  him  to  depend  largely 
upon  the  ungurungas  or  rock-basins  such  as  are  found  at  Tare 
and  Gorah,  or,  still  worse,  upon  small  hollows  after  the  rains, 
which  assist  the  passage  of  the  wilderness  to  Taveta.  Yet  it 
removes  to  a  large  extent  the  sources  of  the  fevers  and  other 
diseases  which  have  been  so  long  the  greatest  barrier  to 
African  research.  With  a  little  precaution  in  his  drinking, 
no  traveller  need  fear  to  face  up-country  travel.  He  will 
find  he  has  to  make  some  very  hard  marches,  but  that  is 
nothing  to  any  man  of  robust  health.  On  the  other  hand, 
he  will  find  that  the  air  is  exhilarating  and  almost  bracing 
compared  with  that  of  the  damp,  moisture-laden  coast. 
Mosquitoes  are  almost  unkno\vn,  and  with  cool  nights  he  will 
be  able  to  enjoy  ref resiling  sleep. 

Speaking  of  the  climate  leads  me  to  remark  on  the  very 
abrupt  line  which  limits  the  regions  over  which  the  interior 
rains  and  the  coast  rains  falL  On  my  first  journey  to  Taveta, 
no  rain  had  fallen  at  the  coast,  and  as  far  as  Taro  water  was 
procured  with  much  difficulty.  At  that  place,  however,  and 
beyond  it,  we  everywhere  saw  evidence  of  rain  having  fallen, 
though  only  in  showers,  to  be  speedily  sucked  up  by  the  arid 
soil,  leaving  little  trace  beliind,  except  one  or  two  puddles 
and  a  greater  freshness  of  foliage.  In  March  and  July  the 
rains  were  falling  at  Teita.  On  our  way  back  in  May  we  found 
the  rains  practically  over  in  Teita,  and  the  short-lived  period  of 
showers  rapidly  giving  place  to  the  sere  and  yellow  leaf 
which  marks  the  normal  condition  of  the  surrounding  plain. 
On  reaching  Taro,  however,  and  between  it  and  the  coast,  we 
had  a  drenching  daily.  The  country  was  soaked  with  the 
heavy  fall,  and  everything  was  bursting  with  renewed  life. 

K^ow,  why  Taro  should  mark  so  distinctly  the  point  of 
change,  it  would  be  difficult  to  say,  for  it  has  no  prominent 
hills  or  other  features  which  might  account  for  the  curious 
fact.  Such,  however,  is  the  case.  I  leave  others  to  suggest 
an  explanation. 

Let  us  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  "  Mount  Olympus  of 
those  parts."  But  at  the  very  outset  let  me  confess  that  I 
shrink  from  the  task  of  attempting  to  convey  any  idea  of  this 
colossal  mountain.  I  feel  that  the  subject  is  beyond  the 
power  of  my  puny  pen,  and  that  here,  sifter  all,  I  am  very 

I  2 


116  Through  Masai  Land. 

much  on  a  level  with  the  untutored  Masai  savage,  who 
simply  stands  awe-struck  before  the  sublime  spectacle,  and 
tells  you  it  is  the  "  I^gaje  Ngai,"  or  house  of  God. 

The  term  Kilima-Njaro  has  generally  been  understood  to 
mean  the  Mountain  (Kilima)  of  Greatness  (Njaro).  This 
probably  is  as  good  a  derivation  as  any  other,  though  not 
improbably  it  may  really  mean  the  "  White  "  mountain,  as  I 
believe  the  term  "  Njaro  "  has  in  former  times  been  used  to 
denote  whiteness,  and  though  this  application  of  the  word  is 
now  obsolete  on  the  coast,  it  is  still  heard  among  some  of  the 
interior  tribes.  Either  translation  is  equally  applicable,  and 
we  need  raise  no  dispute  on  such  a  trivial  question.  By  the 
"Wa-chaga  the  mountain  is  not  known  under  one  name,  the 
two  masses  which  form  it  being  respectively  named  Kibo  and 
Kimawenzi.  By  the  Masai,  whose  proper  names  are  almost 
always  descriptive  of  some  essential  feature,  it  is  known  as 
Donyo  (mountain)  Ebor  (white),  from  the  eternal  snow 
which  forms  such  a  striking  phenomenon  on  the  dome  or 
crater  of  Kibo. 

Kilimanjaro,  in  its  horizontal  and  vertical  extension,  may 
be  described  as  a  great,  irregular,  pear-shaped  mass  with  its 
major  axis  in  a  line  running  north-west  and  south-east,  the 
tapering  point  running  into  the  heart  of  the  Masai  country. 
On  this  line  it  is  nearly  sixty  miles  long.  Its  minor  axis, 
running  at  right  angles,  reaches  only  to  some  thirty  miles. 
As  we  have  already  had  occasion  to  remark,  the  mountain  is 
divided  into  the  great  central  mass  of  Kibo,  and  the  lower 
conical  peak  of  Kimawenzi.  Towards  the  north-west,  it 
shades  away  into  a  long  ridge  which  gradually  tapers 
horizontally  and  vertically  till  it  becomes  merged  in  the 
Masai  plain. 

The  southern  aspect  of  this  stupendous  mountain  (which 
Von  der  Deck  en  by  triangulation  has  ascertained  to  be  little 
short  of  19,000  feet  at  its  highest  point  on  Kibo)  forms  the 
country  of  Chaga,  which  may  be  described  as  a  great  plat- 
form, basement,  or  terrace,  from  which  the  dome  and  peak 
abruptly  rise.  This  platform  may  be  described  as  rising  from 
4000  to  6000  feet,  over  ten  miles  of  rounded  ridges,  and 
characterized  by  deep  glens  at  its  broadest  part.  The 
features  of  this  region,  though  in  themselves  rich  and 
pleasing  in  the  extreme,  and  presenting  a  smiling  aspect  with 
variegated  plantations,  yet  somewhat  detract  from  the  im- 
posing grandeur  of  the  mountain,  as  the  eye  has  to  wander  a 
distance  of  more  than  fifteen  miles,  before  Kibo,  at  a  height 


KlLIMA2fJAE0.  117 

of  some  12,000  feet,  springs  precipitously  heaveuward.  The 
features  of  the  lower  aspect  are  disappointingly  even  and 
monotonous.  You  look  in  vain  for  rugged  rocks,  or  over- 
hanging precipices,  for  striking  angularities,  or  for  inequali- 
ties in  the  shape  of  peaks  or  other  excrescences.  Rounded 
outHnes  everywhere  meet  the  gaze.  There  is  nothing  savage. 
There  are  no  striking  effects  of  light  and  shade :  a  duU 
monotone  rules  both  in  form  and  colour.  The  scene  is  en- 
tirely suggestive  of  solidity  and  repose,  of  serene  majesty 
asleep.  The  finest  effects,  indeed,  are  to  be  seen  when  great 
cumulus  clouds  tumble  and  roll  across  the  face  of  the  moun- 
tains, now  closing  in  the  scene,  anon  breaking  up  and 
whirled  into  fragments,  throwing  a  checkered  shade  over  the 
mountain  slopes.  Such  is  the  aspect  of  the  mountain  across 
the  greater  part  of  Chaga.  Towards  the  great  western  ridge, 
however,  the  scene  is  more  striking,  for  here  the  clear  sweep 
of  the  mountain  may  be  seen  unbroken  from  top  to  bottom, 
the  Chaga  platform  having  disappeared,  or  at  least  bulking 
but  little  in  the  view.  The  ridge  itself,  as  it  circles  round 
Machame,  presents  a  view  more  in  accordance  with  our  idea 
of  mountain  scenery — a  series  of  gloomy  gorges,  and  black 
rocks  carved  out  by  the  ceaseless  erosive  action  of  the 
Kikavo,  the  Weri-weri,  and  the  Karanga.  It  is  here  also 
that  Kibo  presents  its  most  imposing  phase,  as  with  great 
abruptness  it  springs  from  the  Shira  ridge,  and  hardly 
permits  the  accumulation  of  snow  on  its  steep  western  face. 

It  is  from  the  north  side,  however  (and  here  we  must 
anticipate  the  course  of  our  narrative),  that  the  grandest  view 
of  the  whole  mountain  can  be  obtained.  Standing  a  short 
distance  off  on  the  great  Njiri  plain,  we  see  the  entire 
moxmtain  horizontally  and  vertically,  without  moving  the 
head.  Rising  from  the  almost  level  sandy  plain  at  an 
altitude  of  about  3000  feet,  it  springs  at  an  even  angle  to  a 
sheer  height  of  15,000  feet,  unbroken  by  a  single  irregularity 
or  projecting  buttress.  No  cones  or  hdls  diversify  its  s\irface. 
Neither  gorge  nor  valley  cuts  deep  into  its  sides.  You  see 
on  your  left  the  great  cone  of  Kimawenzi  with  only  one  or 
two  slight  indentations  sweeping  round  in  a  saddle-shaped 
depression,  to  spring  up  into  a  dome  of  the  most  perfect  pro- 
portions, curving  over  as  if  projected  by  an  architect's  hand, 
rather  than  that  of  nature,  which  abhors  unbroken  lines. 

The  snow-cap  shows  here  to  great  advantage,  forming  a 
close-fitted,  glittering  helmet  artistically  laid  on  the  massive 
head  of  Kibo,  and  at  times  looking  not  unlike  the  aureole,  as 


118  Theodgh  Masai  Land. 

represented  in  many  old  pictures  of  saints,  as  it  scintillates 
with  dazzling  effect  under  the  tropical  sun.  The  resemblance 
to  an  aureole  is  made  all  the  more  complete  by  the  manner 
in  which  long  tongues  or  lines  of  snow  extend  down  the 
mountain  side,  filling  up  a  series  of  seams  or  flutings,  formed, 
doubtless,  by  the  erosive  action  of  the  melting  snow,  which, 
going  on  incessantly,  counterbalances  the  continuous  fall. 
Here  still  more  than  on  the  south  side  is  Kilimanjaro  lacking 
in  the  picturesque.  You  are  not  startled  or  bewildered  by  a 
multiplicity  of  detail  The  magnificent  mass  only  suggests  a 
divine  repose  and  grandeur.  It  impresses  you  by  its 
stupendous  size.  In  contemplating  it  you  experience  much 
the  same  sensations  as  when  you  stand  by  the  sea-side  on  a 
calm  day,  gazing  into  the  boundless  distance,  filled  by  that 
dreamy,  pleasing  melancholy,  rising  into  awe,  with  which 
many  aspects  of  nature  insj^ire  its  votaries.  Nature,  indeed, 
seems  to  consider  this  spectacle  too  sacred  to  be  always  seen, 
and  keeps  it,  as  a  rule,  enveloped  in  soft,  grey  mists  and 
stratus  clouds.  Occasionally  its  god-like  presence  is  revealed 
as  it  greets  the  da^vning  sun  and  bathes  in  the  rich  hues  and 
crimson  gloAV  of  the  early  rays,  to  be  immediately  after 
hidden  by  a  weird,  ghost-like  haze,  which  suddenly  springing 
up  no  larger  than  the  hand,  spreads  Avith  remarkable  rapidity, 
till  nothing  but  a  blank  expanse  of  grey  meets  the  gaze.  And 
yet  the  scene  does  not  always  close  thus ;  for  not  uncommonly 
the  upper  part  of  Kibo  is  descried  away  up  in  mid-heaven, 
cut  off  apparently  from  all  earthly  connection,  shining  clear 
and  bright  with  dazzling  effulgence,  suggesting  a  sight  of  the 
very  heavens  opened,  a  marvel  of  whiteness,  and  most  fitting 
emblem  of  ethereal  purity.  This  certainly  is  the  most 
striking  spectacle  presented  by  Kilimanjaro.  As  seen  pro- 
jected against  the  upper  sky  like  a  mirage,  it  gives  the 
spectator  the  notion  of  stupendous  height,  and  as  I  have 
already  said,  all  that  he  can  whisper  to  himself  is  the  awe- 
struck words  of  the  Masai  warrior,  "  Ngaje  Ngai !  "  (The 
House  of  God.) 

The  most  remarkable  physical  fact  about  the  entire 
mountain,  however,  is  that  not  a  single  stream  descends  its 
sides,  except  on  the  southern  aspect.  A  score  of  streams  may 
be  counted  in  Chaga,  many  of  them  of  very  considerable  size, 
but  all  rise  on  the  southern  side  of  the  mountain,  and  joining  in 
the  plain  below,  form  the  Pangani  river.  It  is  true  that  the 
Lumi  and  the  Tzavo  rise  on  the  eastern  side,  but  then  they 
appear  in  their  full  volume  at  the  base  of  tlie  mountain. 


The  Wa-chaga.  119 

They  without  doubt  come  down  from  the  upper  regions,  but 
by  tmderground  cliannels.  On  the  west  side  there  is  but 
one  small  stream,  the  Xgare  X'Erobi,  which  also  rises  at  the 
base.  On  the  north  there  is  not  a  single  stream  either 
descending  or  welling  forth  below,  and  the  only  signs  of  any 
such  are  a  few  small  springs  which  rise  in  different  parts  of 
the  Njiri  desert,  where  they  form  small  pools,  or  supply  the 
more  extensive  swamps  of  Njiri  itself.  The  explanation  of 
this  very  striking  phenomenon  is  beyond  my  ken.  All  I  can 
say  is  that  there  seems  to  be  no  geographical  reason  to  account 
for  it,  and  we  must  simply  suppose  that  some  peculiarity  of 
internal  structure  determines  the  direction  of  the  drainage. 

Before  dismissing  the  geographical  features  of  the  moun- 
tain, it  remains  but  to  be  added  that  the  only  inhabited  part 
is  the  Chaga  platform,  which  offers  favourable  conditions  for 
agriculture  in  the  projecting  terrace,  its  rich  soil,  and  the 
numeroxis  streams  which  lend  themselves  profitably  to  irriga- 
tion (one  of  the  features  of  the  land).  It  is  only,  however, 
the  centre  and  lower  slopes  of  the  terrace  that  are  cultivated, 
as  the  climate  is  too  cold  and  trying  for  the  aborigines  above 
5000  feet.  Though  the  terrace  does  not  extend  round  to  the 
east  side  of  Kimawenzi,  yet  we  find  it  occupied  by  the  "Wa- 
chaga  of  Rombo,  Useri,  and  Kimangelia,  who  cultivate  the 
lower  slopes,  and  are  very  numerous.  Chaga,  it  may  be 
observed,  is  aU  broken  up  into  a  number  of  small  states, 
which  would  hardly  make  a  gentleman's  estate  in  this  country. 
The  inhabitants,  however,  fight  hke  bull-<logs  for  hearth  and 
home,  and  are  incessantly  at  war  with  each  other.  There  is 
absolutely  no  intercourse,  and  it  is  war  to  the  knife  whenever 
they  meet.  Mandara,  the  most  noted  of  all  the  warrior  chiefs, 
has  long  had  imperial  views,  and  has  murdered  and  devastated 
hard  to  carry  them  into  effect ;  but  though  he  has,  time  after 
time,  laid  waste  the  neighbouring  states,  he  has  asjret  reduced 
none  to  submission,  though  many  to  starvation,  so  tenaciously 
do  they  stick  to  their  districts  and  moimtain  freedom. 

The  whole  of  the  northern  side  of  Kilimanjaro  is  a  soHtude, 
owing  to  its  extremely  precipitous  nature,  there  being  no 
projecting  platforms,  and  no  streams ;  and,  indeed,  even 
though  it  were  otherwise,  the  proximity  of  the  Masai  would 
of  itself  be  sutficient  to  deter  any  one  from  settling  there. 

"We  can  hardly  dismiss  the  subject  of  Kilimanjaro  without 
saying  something  about  its  origin.  It  requires  a  considerable 
stretch  of  the  imagination  to  turn  from  the  contemplation  of 
eternal  snows  to  the   consideration  of  a  state  of  things  in 


120  Theoxjgh  Masai  Land. 

which  fire  was  the  dominant  feature ;  yet  that  is  what  I  ask 
you  to  do  now.  Can  you  realize  the  fact  that  the  placid 
repose  of  that  majestic  mountain,  heaven-piercing  in  its  icy 
heights,  was  at  one  time  non-existent,  but  that  here  was  the 
scene  of  the  most  fearful  and  sublime  manifestation  of 
nature's  fervid  forces — that  where  the  snow  now  falls  softly 
and  noiselessly,  weaving  a  dazzling  crown  of  marvellous 
whiteness,  the  molten  rock  was  once  belched  forth  in  gloAving 
streams,  or  hurled  amidst  terrific  thunders  and  clouds  of 
steam  heavenward,  to  fall  in  crashing  ruins  around  the 
orifice  1  Can  you  imagine  this  colossal  mountain  shaken  and 
rent  to  its  very  centre  by  its  mighty  birth-throes,  waving  and 
quivering  in  fearful  pulsation,  like  the  slender  reed  before 
the  breeze  1  Yes,  all  this  has  taken  place,  and  that  recently 
in  a  geological  sense  ;  for  there  stands  the  crater,  so  perfect 
in  shape  that  it  might  have  been  in  action  the  previous  year, 
while  its  sides  practically  remain  as  when  the  last  shower  of 
ashes  strewed  its  surface.  Such  is  Kibo  at  the  present  day. 
Let  me  try  to  trace  the  sequence  of  events  which  have 
produced  Kilimanjaro.  An  examination  tells  us  that  in  the 
serrated  peak  and  rugged  sides  of  Kimawenzi  we  see  the 
original  volcano,  which,  without  doubt,  existed  long  before 
there  was  a  trace  of  its  neighbour  Kibo.  Kimawenzi,  after 
the  imprisoned  earth-forces  found  vent,  rose  in  size  and 
grandeur,  added  layer  after  layer  to  its  height  and  circum- 
ference by  a  continual  alternation  of  lava  sheets  and  beds 
of  agglomerate  and  tuff.  It  appears  probable  that  it  welled 
or  belched  out  its  contents  without  any  of  those  terrific  out- 
bursts by  which  whole  mountains  are  blown  into  the  air  or 
enormous  areas  submerged  under  a  molten  flood ;  for, 
curiously  enough,  we  find  no  evidence  that  any  of  its  lava 
flows  ever  extended  beyond  the  base  of  the  mountain,  or 
ashes  accumulated  to  any  depth  in  the  surrounding  country. 
At  the  present  day  the  metamorphic  rocks  are  seen  to  crop 
out  at  its  very  base  on  the  east  and  south-east,  and  we  have 
no  reason  to  suppose  that  they  ever  were  covered  by  lava 
rocks.  As  this — for  a  volcano — gentle  accumulation  went 
on,  the  hypogene  agents  would  have  more  and  more  difficulty 
in  forcing  the  lava  up  the  now  elongated  vent  or  orifice,  and 
a  time  would  come  when  the  weight  of  the  column  would,  in 
the  end,  balance  the  strength  of  the  forces  below.  We  can 
now  imagine  the  terrible  struggle  that  would  ensue  as  the 
pent-up  gases  laboured  mightily  to  relieve  the  pressure. 
Doubtless  for  a  time    they  would    succeed  occasionally  in 


Physical  Histoey  of  the  Mountain.    121 

clearing  off  the  incubus  and  getting  temix)rary  outlet.  At 
last  even  that  would  fail,  and  the  volcano  was  doomed  either  to 
become  extinct  or  find  another  vent.  After  some  grand  con- 
vulsions the  latter  was  effected,  and  a  new  volcano  began  its 
existence  to  the  west  of  Kimawenzi.  In  process  of  time  it  soon 
rivalled  its  neighbour  in  size,  and  finally  towered  above  it,  bat- 
tering Kimawenzi's  hoary  head — probably  then  snow-capped 
— with  showers  of  stones,  and  even  threatening  to  obliterate  it 
under  the  volcanic  ejections.  Meanwhile  Kimawenzi,  now  no 
longer  under  a  reign  of  fire,  with  its  volcanic  life-work  finished, 
began,  like  all  things  earthly,  to  crumble  away  before  the 
slow-boring  influence  of  apparently  puny  agents.  Rain,  snow, 
and  frost  worked  on  insidiously  but  steadily,  and  soon  told 
their  usual  tale  of  denudation  as  they  gradually  loosened  and 
washed  away  the  loose  ashes  which  formed  the  crater,  under- 
mined the  more  compact  lavas,  and  hurled  them  to  the 
bottom  of  the  mountain  ;  until  finally  the  solid  core  which 
had  originally  choked  the  orifice,  stood  out  a  shattered, 
weather-beaten  pinnacle,  with  only  a  slight  indentation  to 
mark  the  line  of  the  original  crater.  The  beautiful  concave 
curve,  so  characteristic  of  large  volcanoes,  is  still  to  be  seen 
from  the  east,  and  speaks  of  the  once  handsome  proportions 
of  Kimawenzi. 

The  fate  which  befell  Kimawenzi  eventually  came  upon 
Kibo.  A  height  was  reached  which  baffled  all  the  attempts 
of  Vulcan  to  raise  the  lava  to  the  surface,  and,  like  the  other, 
it  became  extinct.  Evidently,  however,  the  imprisoned  forces 
had  either  spent  their  original  strength,  or  they  frittered  away 
their  terrible  energies  in  the  production  of  numerous  para- 
sitic or  secondary  cones,  instead  of  uniting  in  another  grand 
effort  and  producing  a  third  great  volcano. 

These  cones  were  spread  in  great  numbers  all  along  the 
southern  side  of  Kibo  and  Kimawenzi,  and  set  themselves  to 
the  task  of  strengthening  or  buttressing  them  up.  An 
enormous  mass  of  lavas  and  agglomerates  was  belched  forth, 
resulting  eventually  in  the  formation  of  what  I  have  called 
the  Chaga  terrace  or  platform,  and  the  long  ridge  which 
penetrates  far  into  the  Masai  country.  These  manifestations 
of  volcanic  energy  were  continued  far  into  what,  geologically 
speaking,  are  recent  times,  and  the  geologists  may  view  the 
small  cones  in  many  instances  as  perfectly  preserved  as  when 
they  were  at  work. 

The  most  interesting  relic  of  the  reign  of  fire  is  presented 
by  the  beautifid  crater  lake  of  Chala,  which  lies  a  short 


122  Theough  Masai  Land. 

distance  to  the  ea.st  of  the  base  of  Kimawenzi,  and  only  a  few 
miles  north  of  Taveta.  It  represents  probably  the  latest 
manifestation  of  energy,  a  manifestation  extending  indeed 
into  historical  times,  for  the  natives  have  a  tradition  that  at 
one  time  a  great  Masai  village  stood  on  its  site  and  was  blown 
into  the  air,  and  they  tell  you  that  at  times  you  may  still 
hear  from  its  liquid  depths  the  lowing  of  cattle  and  bleating 
of  sheep,  as  well  as  other  village  sounds.  The  shape  of  the 
lake  is  that  of  an  irregular  polygon,  about  two  miles  in 
diameter,  and  little  short  of  six  miles  in  circumference.  It 
occupies  the  centre  of  a  small  hill  with  very  irregular  rim, 
400  feet  above  the  eastern  plain  at  its  lowest  point,  and  quite 
800  at  its  highest,  where  it  runs  up  into  a  peak.  The  outer 
slopes  are  formed  by  beds  of  lapilli  and  tuff,  which  incline 
away  all  round  at  the  same  angle  as  the  hill  itself.  Internally 
the  lake  is  bounded  by  perfectly  perpendicular  cliffs  without 
a  break  at  any  point,  at  least  as  far  as  I  could  discover, 
though  the  natives  of  Taveta  say  there  is  a  place  where  the 
descent  can  be  made ;  indeed,  its  discoverer,  New,  declares 
that  he  reached  the  water,  and  drank  of  it,  I  went  all 
round  it,  and  though  I  am  not  deficient  in  enterprise  or  nerve, 
I  saw  no  place  where  I  dared  descend,  not  even  though  I 
could  have  swung  from  creeper  to  creeper  like  a  monkey. 

The  water  evidently  lies  at  the  level  of  the  outer  plain, 
which  would  make  the  precipice  walls  little  short  of  400  feet 
at  the  lowest  point,  and  nearly  800  at  the  highest.  A  more 
charming  scene  my  eyes  have  never  lighted  upon  than  this 
rock- encircled  pond,  away  at  a  dizzy  depth  in  the  bowels  of 
the  hill.  Dense  masses  of  vegetation  cover  in  with  tender 
and  artistic  hand  the  bald,  bare  rocks,  and  hang  in  festoons, 
or  spread  from  bush  to  bush,  sheltering  numerous  feathered 
denizens  which  Avake  the  echoes  with  their  pleasing  notes,  as 
they  flutter  noisily  about  their  nests,  or  speed  across  the 
gloomy  expanse.  Kites  Avatchfully  circle  around  the  pretty 
basin  or  sit  expectantly  on  some  withered  tree.  Ileyond  rises 
the  basaltic  peak  of  Kimawenzi  from  its  socket  of  volcanic 
debris,  which  suggests  a  Brobdignagian  fosse  surrounding 
some  gigantic  castle.  Eadiating  scaurs  lead  down  the  side, 
and  add  variety  to  the  scene,  while  lower  down  on  the 
southern  side  numerous  small  cones  remind  us  of  the  later 
manifestations  of  volcanic  energy.  It  remains  but  to  be 
added  that  Chala  has  probably  been  originated  by  one  of 
the  very  latest  paroxysmal  volcanic  outbursts.  The  volcanic 
vapours  imprisoned  far  down  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  and 


124 


Through  Masai  Land. 


unable  to  escape  by  the  ordinary  safety-valves  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood, at  last  gathered  such  an  overwhelming  amount  of 
force  that  they  literally  blasted  a  passage  for  themselves 
through  the  solid  rock,  hurling  the  fragments  skyward,  to  fall 
around  the  orifice  in  crashing  ruins  and  accumulate  as 
a  crater  ring.  There,  however,  the  action  ceased,  probably 
from  a  want  of  any  reserve  force,  or  of  the  necessary  con- 
ditions to  generate  that  force  ;  and  hence,  after  a  grand 
spurt,  the  volcano  thus  suddenly  formed  as  speedily  became 
extinct;  and  where  once  had  stood  peacefully  the  Masai 


ALCELAPHTJS   COKII,' 

village  with  its  lowing  cattle  and  barking  dogs,  there  now  lie 
the  unknown  depths  of  a  fairy  lake  scarce  ever  ruffled  by  the 
breezes  which  sweep  over  the  hill,  but  soothingly  lapping 
the  barren  adamantine  rocks,  and  sending  up  to  superstitious 
listeners  the  spirit  echoes  of  the  destroyed  village. 

Such  are  the  main  geographical  and  geological  features  of 
Kilimanjaro  as  far  as  I  can  depict  them  ;  but  I  feel  oppressed 
with  the  magnitude  of  the  subject,  and  gladly  leave  it,  only 
too  well  aware  how  inadequate  are  my  best  efforts  to  portray 
it  to  the  reader. 


Martin's  Stoby.  125 

CHAPTER  Yl. 

ONWARD    ONCE   MORE  ! 

Having  thus  reviewed  the  coast  region  and  Kilimanjaro,  we 
may  now  settle  ourselves  down  to  hear  Martin's  narrative  of 
his  doings  while  I  was  at  the  coast. 

His  first  business  had  been  to  select  a  spot  some  distance 
from  the  traders'  quarters.  There  he  cleared  away  the  dense 
imdergrowth,  and  built  a  comfortable  house,  with  baraza  or 
palaver  sheds.  These  he  surrounded  at  a  proper  distance 
with  the  huts  of  the  men.  In  the  centre  not  a  bit  of 
garbage  or  dirt  was  allowed  to  lie  ;  and  a  neater  or  more 
charming  village  could  not  be  conceived.  The  Wa-taveta, 
who  were  as  pleasant  as  ever,  were  delighted  with  it,  and 
were  never  tired  of  contrasting  it  with  the  filth  and  ugliness 
of  the  traders'  part.  The  consequence  was  that  the  market 
was  transferred  to  our  place,  which  was  thus  daily  enlivened 
with  picturesque  groups,  and  with  the  stir  and  hum  of 
business. 

Meanwhile  Mandara  had  sent  down  messengers  with 
presents  of  sheep  and  goats,  asking  Martin  to  go  up  to  him, 
and  telling  him  that  whatever  he  wanted  in  the  way  of  food 
for  the  men  wo\dd  be  forthcoming  at  once.  But  Martin  was 
too  much  frightened  at  the  idea  of  getting  into  his  clutches, 
and  only  sent  excuses.  Mandara,  however,  sent  again  with 
more  presents. 

'  At  last  famine  fell  upon  Taveta.  Food  trebled  in  price, 
and  threatened  to  make  a  big  hole  in  our  stores.  On  this, 
Kacheche  was  sent  with  men  to  Mandara,  and  he  returned 
loaded  -with  food  obtained  at  an  almost  nominal  price.  A 
second  time  men  were  sent  with  the  same  result.  Finally, 
as  Mandara  was  stLU  urgent,  Martin  made  up  his  mind  to  go 
himself. 

On  reaching  Moschi,  he  was  received  with  lavish  hos- 
pitality. Bullocks  were  kiUed,  and  his  men  were  feasted ; 
and  loads  of  food  were  prepared  to  be  taken  back.  Before 
Martin  returned,  however,  Mandara  unfolded  a  queer  tale  to 
him,  which  thoroughly  corroborated  my  worst  suspicions 
about  Muhinna.  That  villain  had  invented  the  story  about 
the  Masai  being  on  the  road  in  front,  for  the  purpose  of 
driving  us  into  Mandara's  hands.  This  accomplished,  he  did 
his  best  to  arouse  the  cupidity  of  that  chief ;  told  him  how 


126  Theough  Masai  Land. 

he  did  not  want  me  to  go  further,  and  desired  him  to  do 
Avhat  he  could  to  detain  and  plunder  me.  At  first  Mandara 
had  eagerly  accepted  the  agreeable  task,  and  had  despatched 
a  messenger  to  his  allies  the  Wa-kwafi  of  Arusha,  to  come 
over  and  help  him.  Better  counsels,  however,  had  ultimately 
lire  vailed,  and  he  sent  off  a  second  messenger  to  stop  the 
first.  The  rest  of  the  story  I  have  already  told.  At  JS'gare 
N'Erobi,  Sadi  and  Muhinna  had  jointly  done  everything  in 
their  power  to  squander  away  my  goods  in  huge  hongos,  and 
besides  had  helped  to  rouse  the  Masai  against  us,  and,  as  the 
reader  well  knows,  very  nearly  succeeded  in  ruining  all  my 
prospects. 

Mandara  continued  to  supply  food  for  the  entire  caravan 
right  royally  all  the  time  I  was  away,  and  quite  won  Martin's 
heart.  The  men  were  frequently  troublesome,  but,  having 
no  guns  at  their  command,  could  not  run  away.  A  nasty 
skin  disease  also  broke  out  among  them,  and  some  were 
rendered  quite  useless  by  the  loathsome  manner  in  which 
their  ulcers  enlarged.  But  upon  the  whole  everything  had 
gone  on  remarkably  well. 

There  were  other  news,  however,  to  rejoice  my  heart.  My 
faith  in  Micawber's  maxim  had  been  justified  ;  for  something 
had  turned  up.  A  large  caravan  from  Pangani,  under  a  noted 
coast  Mganga,  named  Jumba  Kimameta,  had  reached  Taveta 
a  few  days  previously,  and  were  recruiting  preparatory  to 
starting  for  the  Masai  country.  I  could  not  suppress  a 
hurrah  at  this  good  news ;  for  by  this  time  I  was  only  too 
glad  to  stoop  to  the  idea  of  joining  a  trading  caravan,  as  our 
enterprise  had  become  pretty  much  a  forlorn  hope,  depending 
as  it  did  upon  such  a  pair  of  traitors  as  Muhinna  and 
Sadi. 

I  lost  no  time  in  putting  myself  in  communication  with 
Jumba,  who  proved  to  be  a  little  man,  deeply  marked  with 
small-pox  and  blind  in  one  eye.  The  other  eye,  however, 
Avas  lively,  and  he  soon  proved  to  be  far  above  the  average  in 
gentlemanly  character  and  intelligence.  We  quickly  settled 
matters,  and  he  agreed  to  allow  me  to  enter  into  his  caravan 
on  the  same  footing  as  the  traders,  till  we  should  pass  fairly 
into  the  country  of  the  Masai.  He  was  content  to  accept  my 
general  promise  that  I  would  rcAvard  him  if  he  acted  faith- 
fully by  me.  I  had  a  more  difficult  matter  to  arrange  with 
the  other  traders,  who  to  a  man  were  opposed  to  having  any- 
thing to  do  with  me.  Yet  in  a  few  days,  by  the  exercise  of 
some  little  tact,  and  no  end  of  "  soft  sawder,"  I  managed  to 


A  PLAUSIBLE  Villain.  127 

bring  them  all  round,  and  even  the  most  prejudiced  one 
among  them  declared  that  before  he  would  see  me  beat,  he 
would  carry  me  on  his  o'svn  shoulders. 

All  this  very  much  upset  the  plans  of  Muhinna  and  Sadi, 
both  of  whom,  fortunately,  were  detested  by  the  Pangani  men. 
The  former,  however,  determined  to  make  one  more  eflfort 
— firstly,  because  he  was  afraid  of  going  with  me,  and 
secondly,  because  he  had  made  up  his  mind  to  stop  us  from 
ever  getting  into  the  country.  He  therefore  came  to  me  one 
night  in  the  most  secret  manner,  and,  with  a  very  long  face, 
he  told  me  he  had  found  out  that  Jumba  and  the  other 
traders  were  only  playing  with  me ;  they  had  agreed  to  let 
me  accompany  them  as  far  as  the  first  Masai  kraal,  and  there 
they  would  make  me  pay  the  entire  hongo.  Then,  after 
letting  me  be  plundered  of  ever}'thing,  they  would  break  off 
all  connection  with  me,  and  make  it  impossible  for  me  to 
get  a  step  further.  They  intended,  also,  he  said,  to  set  the 
warriors  upon  us,  to  annihilate  the  caravan  completely.  On 
the  other  hand,  if  I  would  only  wait  a  few  days  more, 
Dugumbi  was  going  to  Kavirondo,  and  would  see  me  through 
in  complete  safety,  as  he  was  anxious  to  assist  me  according 
to  the  orders  of  the  Sultan. 

Now  this  story  was  very  plausible.  The  first  part  agreed 
with  my  knowledge  of  the  Swahili  character  ;  and  I  had  been 
somewhat  svirprised  at  the  promptness  %vith  which  an  arrange- 
ment had  been  effected.  Without  a  doubt  Muhinna  woxild 
have  triumphed,  but  for  the  knowledge  I  had  acquired  of  his 
little  game,  which  prepared  me  to  believe  exactly  the  oppo- 
site of  all  he  said.  I  learned  shortly  after  that  Dugumbi 
was  only  journeying  a  short  distance  into  the  Masai  country, 
and  had  no  intention  of  going  to  Kavirondo,  but,  between 
them,  ^he  and  Muhinna  had  agreed  to  plunder  me.  I  had 
therefore  a  very  strong  temptation  to  let  the  knave  know  that 
his  tricks  had  been  exposed,  and  then  swing  him  up  on  a 
tree — a  punishment  he  already  fully  merited.  I  forbore  Ixith 
the  exposure  of  his  criminality  and  the  act  of  just  retribution 
for  the  simple  reason  that  he  was  indispensable  to  me.  Mean- 
time, therefore,  I  only  laughed  at  him,  soothed  his  simulated 
fears,  and  sent  him  off  to  bed. 

In  joint  council  we  now  determined  to  proceed  via 
Kimangelia,  Xjiri  and  Donyo  (Mount)  Erok,  to  Ngongo  and 
Naivasha.  That  route  had  been  long  shut  up,  owing  to  the 
repeated  fights  with  the  ferocious  Masai  of  Lytokitok  and 
Matumbato,  in  which  several  large  caravans  had  been  almost 


128  Through  Masai  Land. 

annihilated.  It,  however,  promised  to  the  trader  a  rich  sup- 
ply of  ivory,  and  to  me  an  interesting  country,  far  removed 
from  the  route  of  Dr.  Fischer,  with  whom  I  had  no  ambi- 
tion to  shake  hands  in  the  wilds,  however  much  I  would  be 
pleased  to  do  so  under  ordinary  social  auspices. 

I  now  set  about  putting  my  affairs  in  order.  My  first  busi- 
ness Avas  to  overhaul  my  men,  and  clear  out  the  incapables. 
Of  these,  fifteen  were  selected  as  utterly  worthless,  and  not 
fit  even  to  carry  a  gun,  and  were  forthwith  despatched  to  the 
coast.  All  the  Eabai  men,  eight  in  number,  relieved  me  of 
their  presence  by  deserting,  with  their  guns,  in  spite  of  my 
precautions.  When  the  roll  was  called,  I  thus  found  myself 
with  only  140  available  men.  There  was  an  appalling  list 
of  no  less  than  fifty-eight  men  who  had  deserted,  died,  or 
been  returned  as  useless.  I  can  offer  no  more  convincing 
evidence  of  the  atrocious  character  of  the  personnel  of  my 
caravan. 

My  goods  now  consisted  of  44  loads  of  iron,  brass,  and 
copper  wire,  22  of  beads,  11  of  stores,  8  of  cloth,  8  of  ammu- 
nition, and  about  20  of  all  other  kinds.  These  may  be 
accepted  as  about  the  correct  proportion  for  a  caravan  of  140 
men. 

Mandara,  on  hearing  of  my  arrival,  sent  do^ATi  messengers 
with  more  food.  To  show  my  appreciation  of  his  handsome 
behaviour,  I  made  him  a  considerable  present,  including  my 
galvanic  battery,  on  which  he  had  specially  set  his  heart,  as 
he  was  "  cute  "  enough  to  see  that  the  possession  of  it  would 
immensely  raise  his  reputation  as  a  great  Mganga,  or 
medicine-man.  I  asked  him,  however,  to  give  me  Mr.  JS'ew's 
gold  watch.  This  he  agreed  to  at  once,  and  he  forwarded  it 
to  me  exactly  as  he  received  it  from  New.  I  have  had  the 
pleasure,  since  my  return  home,  of  restoring  the  interesting 
relic  to  the  brother  of  the  missionary. 

It  remains  but  to  be  mentioned  with  regard  to  Mandara 
that  while  I  was  at  the  coast  he  had  been  carrying  out  his 
"imperial  views,"  with  the  usual  course  of  murder  and 
devastation.  He  had  attacked  the  Wa-chaga  of  Useri,  and 
swept  oflf  over  2000  head  of  cattle.  He  had  also  devastated 
the  neighbouring  state  of  Kirua,  cutting  doyvn  all  their 
banana-trees  with  the  intention  of  reducing  them  to  the 
point  of  starvation,  and  compelling  them  to  recognize  him  as 
their  Sultan — his  aim  being  to  acquire  the  sovereignty  of  the 
whole  of  the  south-east  corner  of  Chaga,  along  with  Taveta. 

A  fortnight  thus  variously  employed  brought  us  to  the  end 


Martin's  Ague. 


]2'> 


of  our  preparations.  On  the  night  of  the  16th  of  July  the 
men  of  both  carav<ans  marked  their  sense  of  its  being  their 
last  day  among  the  agreeable  flesh-pots  of  Taveta,  by  hokling 
an  ngomma  or  dance  round  two  flags.  The  clamour  was 
simply  infernal,  and  the  whole  scene  suggested  a  witch-tlance 
in  the  lower  regions. 

About  1  a.m.  I  was  aroused  by  a  fearful  groaning  from 
Martin,  as  though  he  were  in  the  most  terrible  agonies  or  at 
his  last  gasp.  On  jumping  up,  I  found  him  shaking  as  if  he 
would  knock  the  beds  to  pieces,  and  complaining  of  being  at 
once  freezing  with  cold  and  on  fire.     As  he  groaned,  and 


ULKB   CHALA. 

^ 
energetically  invoked  some  patron  saint  of  his  childhood,  I 
was  very  much  alarmed,  till  it  dawned  upon  me  that  it  was 
only  a  case  of  ague.  On  my  giving  him  a  good  "blowing 
up,"  and  supplying  him  with  some  t^a  and  quinine,  he  be- 
came better,  and  a  little  more  calm.  Never  having  had  this 
ailment  before,  he  had  believed  his  end  was  come,  and  my 
laughter  did  him  more  good  than  any  quantity  of  medicine. 
Next  morning  he  was  nearly  all  right. 

On  the  following  morning  we,  for  the  second  time,  left 
Taveta  behind  us,  and,  travelling  north,  we  camped  near  the 

K 


130  Through  Masai  Land. 

base  of  the  Chala  crater,  on  the  Lumi  stream.  The  precau- 
tions which  were  required  when  we  had  left  the  forest  on 
the  former  occasion  were  still  more  urgently  called  for  this 
time,  as  the  men  were  even  more  demoralized,  and  they  had 
seen  that  it  was,  after  all,  possible  to  desert.  All  the  head- 
men and  half  the  askari  were  accordingly  kept  up  all  night, 
patrolling  the  camp.  Thanks  to  our  care,  the  day  dawned 
without  a  man  missing. 

Leaving  the  Lumi,  we  passed  the  base  of  Chala,  which  I 
ascended,  to  be  rewarded  by  a  magnificent  view  across  the 
lake  towards  Kilimanjaro,  which  stood  out  clear  against  the 
azure  without  a  trace  of  haze  or  cloud.  Our  course  lay 
almost  due  north,  across  a  rich  grassy  reach,  which  here 
gently  slopes  from  the  base  of  Rombo  to  the  Lumi.  There 
was  hardly  a  tree  to  be  seen,  except  along  the  course  of  the 
stream,  where  a  double  row  formed  a  leafy  tunnel.  Great 
herds  of  hartebeest  were  frequent,  and  here  and  there  was  to 
be  seen  a  solitary  rhinoceros.  The  most  striking  spectacle  of 
all  was  the  long,  unbroken  line  of  the  caravan  moving  in 
single  file  over  the  rich  yellow  grass,  striking  a  straight  line 
for  some  small  hillocks  Avliich  mark  the  head-Avaters  of  the 
Lumi,  or  (as  it  is  here  called)  the  Rombo  stream,  from  the 
district  near  which  it  rises. 

When  nearing  this  place,  which  was  to  be  our  camp,  we 
came  suddenly  upon  200  natives  of  Rombo  returning  from 
the  outer  plains  laden  with  neatly-made-up  bales  of  grass, 
with  which  they  feed  their  cattle,  as  there  is  little  pasturage 
on  the  mountain,  and  they  dare  not  let  them  be  seen  outside 
their  huts.  They  were  evidently  in  great  terror  at  suddenly 
seeing  us,  and  would  have  pitched  their  loads  and  fled,  but 
for  our  reassuring  words.  Their  sole  dress  was  a  band  of 
skin  two  inches  broad,  tied  tightly  round  their  waists. 

At  noon,  after  a  heavy  march,  we  camped  on  the  Lumi 
again,  in  a  bend  of  the  stream,  pleasantly  shaded  by  a  grove 
of  trees.  As  I  had  shot  a  couple  of  hartebeest  on  the  way, 
we  were  soon  refreshing  ourselves  with  antelope  steaks. 

Kimawenzi,  which  is  here  due  west,  presented  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  sights  imaginable.  It  was  enveloped  in  a  weird, 
grey  haze,  which  just  permitted  it  to  be  seen.  The  sun,  on 
setting  behind  the  peak,  lit  up  the  haze  with  a  rich  glow  of 
ruddy  and  yellow  hues,  while  myriad  pencils  of  light  radiated 
from  behind  the  peak  with  magic  efi"ect. 

I  had  now  to  exercise  the  grace  of  patience  in  no  small 
degree,  the  traders  having  resolved  to  halt  here  for  a  few 


Adventure  with  a  Rhinoceros.       131 

days  to  collect  food  for  the  passage  of  the  Masai  country,  aud 
also  to  await  the  arrival  of  two  Mombasa  traders  who  were 
reported  to  be  on  the  way  from  Teita.  In  order  to  pass  the 
time,  I  went  out  in  the  hope  of  "  bagging  "  a  rhinoceros,  these 
animals  being  reported  to  be  plentiful  A  cool  breeze,  a 
clear  atmosphere,  and  a  glorious  sunrise,  filled  me  with  such 
joyous  feelings,  and  had  such  an  exhilarating  efiect  upon  me, 
that  I  was  ready  to  run  or  jump  in  _the  pure  enjoyment  of 
existence.  Yet  I  am  almost  ashamed  to  say  that  I  was 
hardly  well  out  of  camp  before  I  smashed  the  skull  of  one  of 
the  most  graceful  of  God's  creatures,  a  beautiful  species  of 
antelope  differing  from  any  that  I  had  seen.  My  regretful 
reflections  were  cut  short  by  the  excited,  half-suppressed  cry 
of  Brahim,  "  Kifaru  !  KiJfaru  !  "  Turning  quickly  round, 
with  rifle  brought  to  the  "  ready,"  I  looked  in  the  direction 
indicated,  and  there,  true  enough,  was  the  great  monstrous 
shape  of  a  rhinoceros  moving  leisurely  along  through  the  tall 
grass.  "With  a  glance  around  to  take  in  the  lie  of  the  land 
and  the  direction  of  the  wind,  I  was  off  with  bent  body  and 
palpitating  heart  to  intercept  my  victim.  We  were  soon 
within  fifty  yartls  of  the  ungainly  brute,  which,  as  it  slowly 
moved  onward  with  head  low  down,  was  quite  unaware  of 
the  enemy  in  front,  or  the  danger  it  was  running  into.  By 
this  time,  however,  I  began  to  have  somewhat  mipleasant 
sensations,  and  to  wonder  whether  my  game  or  myself  was  in 
the  greater  danger.  I  concluded  that  the  odds  were  decidedly 
against  me,  and  wanted  accordingly  to  fire  at  once,  so  long 
as  there  was  a  chance  of  escape.  My  man  Brahim,  however, 
did  not  known  my  inward  feelings,  and  as  he  had  greater 
faith  in  my  shooting  jxjwers  than  myself,  he  made  me  hold 
on  a  bit  till  it  came  nearer.  Beginning  to  feel  dreadfully 
shaky,  though  ashamed  to  be  outdone  in  coolness  by  my 
servant,  I  waited  with  dread  expectancy.  My  heart  throbbed 
with  wild  pulsations,  my  fingers  twitched,  great  drops  of 
perspiration  trickled  down  my  face,  and  then,  with  a  general 
want  of  "backljone,"  I  counted  each  footstep.  If  a  glaring 
eye  can  "  fix  "  any  animal,  surely  that  dreadful  creature  might 
have  been  petrified  by  mine.  Then  ten  yards  were  passed, 
and  I  began  to  read  mischief  in  the  monster's  glance.  For 
once  I  wholly  lost  faith  in  myself.  The  suspense  was  in- 
tolerable, and  the  rhino,  seeming  to  enjoy  the  fun,  length- 
ened the  period  out  as  much  as  possible.  At  last  I  could 
stand  it  no  longer.  Steadying  my  arm  on  my  knee,  I  fired 
my  "  infant."     The  dull  thud  which   followed  told   me  that 

K  2 


132  Theough  Masai  Land. 

I  had  not  fired  in  vain.     As  I  gathered  my  wits  together,  I 
saw   that  the   lumbering  creature  was  spinning  round,   evi- 
dently dazed.     Immediately,  however,  it  recovered  itself,  and 
went  off  at  a  grand,  steady  pace.     On  seeing  my  adversary's 
tail  waving  in  the  breeze,  I  became  as  brave  as  I  had  formerly 
been  shaky,  and,  with  nerves  braced  up  by  seeing  the  rhino 
running  away,  I  gave  it  two  'other  bullets  from  my  express 
rifle.     Yelling  out  to  Brahim  to  follow,  I  went  off  pellmell 
in  pursuit,  Avith  eyes  steadily  fixed  on  the  game.     The  conse- 
quence was  that  1  soon  battered  my  nose  and  nearly  broke  my 
leg   by   falling   into   a-hole.      Eecovering   myself   with    an 
exclamation  of  disgust,  I  tore  along  again,  to  get  sadly  bruised 
a  second  and  then  a  third  time.     The  rhino  soon  showed  signs 
of  exhaustion,  and  at  last  I  contrived  to  head  it,  and  having 
in  my  excitement  lost  all  caution,  I  went  right  for  it,  and  gave 
it  another  ball.     This,  however,  was  too  much  for  the  mon- 
ster, and  it  charged  straight  forward,  I  being  right  in  front  of 
it.  This  was  more  than  I  had  bargained  for,  and  I  felt  that  the 
tables  Avere  turned  with  a  vengeance.     As  that  thought  went 
through  my  brain  like  lightning,  I  gave  a  jump  backward. 
The  next  moment  I  was  sprawling  in  a  horizontal  position, 
and  seeing  unusual  stars  in  the  heavens,  though  it  was  broad 
daylight.     It  was  a  bush,  and  not  the  rhino,  which  had  thus 
floored  me,  and  I  was  now  at  that  brute's  mercy.     I  thought 
it   was   time   to  take   farewell  of  life,  and  forgive  all  my 
enemies.     The   next   moment   there  was  a  shaking  of  the 
ground,  and  a  crashing  of  bushes.     A  dark  body  went  lum- 
bering past,  and  I  rose  from  my  prostrate  position  unhurt 
but  breathless,  delighted  to  see  once  more  a  tufted  tail  waving 
in  the  air,  and  to  find  that  it  disdained  to  hoist  a  fallen  foe. 
It  passed,  however,  only  to  die,  and  presently  I  was  striking 
a  heroic  attitude  with  foot  on  the  rhino,  trying  to  adopt  the 
expression  proper  to  a  man  who  is  "  accustomed  to  that  sort 
of  thing,"  and,  indeed,  at  that  moment,  I  was  on  very  good 
terms  with  myself,  as  it  was  the  first  time  I  had  shot  one  of 
these  huge  brutes.     Leaving  the  man  to  cut  up  the  meat,  I 
sauntered   back   to  camp  as  if  I  had  done  -nothing  worth 
speaking  about,  though  in  reality,  I  was  all  alert  to  hear  the 
exaggerated  accounts  of  my  prowess  spread  throughout  the 
camp. 

After  refreshing  the  inner  man,  and  applying  prosaically 
some  pieces  of  sticking-plaster  to  my  bruises,  I  set  off  in  the 
evening  to  try  my  luck  again.  A  short  distance  from  camp 
I  stalked  two  rhinos,  the  one  lying  down,  the  other  standing. 


A  HEAVY  "  Bag."  133 

The  latter  soon  spied  us,  but  not  getting  our  wind,  it  con- 
tented itself  with  sniffing  and  running  about  a  little,  as  is  the 
manner  of  that  animal  when  sight  alone  guides  its  move- 
ments. Getting  within  fifty  yards,  I  fired  at  it  with  the  right- 
hand  barrel  of  my  rifle,  and,  turning  rapidly  round,  I  gave 
the  contents  of  the  other  barrel  to  its  neighbour.  The  first 
one  ran  only  a  short  distance,  and  then  succumbed,  the  other 
went  off  as  if  unhurt,  and  it  was  getting  too  near  night  for 
me  to  follow  it.  I  tried  a  shot  at  a  third  rhino,  but  missed 
it,  the  sight  of  the  gun  having  been  inadvertently  elevated. 
On  the  way  back,  however,  I  shot  a  zebra.  I  had  thus  on 
that  day  "shot  an  antelope,  two  rhinoceroses,  and  a  zebra,  and 
supplied  the  entire  caravan  Avith  abundance  of  meat.  I  of 
course  made  a  point  of  tasting  all,  and  I  did  so  with  much  satis- 
faction as  far  as  the  rhino  soup.  I  had  less  pleasure,  however, 
in  the  roast  zebra,  though  it  was  better  than  the  meat  of  its 
bulkier  friend. 

Great  numbers  of  Wa-chagacame  down  to  camp,  though  they 
were  evidently  all  considerably  frightened,  and  ready  to  take 
to  their  heels.  The  women  wore  small  pieces  of  skin  round 
the  loins,  ornamented  by  the  smallest  size  of  beads,  sewn  on 
in  various  patterns.  A  few  beads  and  chains  were  suspended 
about  the  neck,  while  brass  and  iron  wire,  with  some  more 
beads,  decorated  the  legs  and  arms.  These  people  tan  and 
dress  goat-skin  better  than  any  other  race  I  have  met, 
turning  it  out  as  soit  as  chamois  leather,  the  hair  being  left 
on  here  and  there,  and  cut  out  in  various  designs. 

The  next  two  days  I  was  occupied  in  making  observations 
and  superintending  the  buying  of  food  from  the  natives  ;  but 
at  last  getting  restless,  I  started  off  on  the  third  day  in 
search  for  further  hunting  adventures.  Martin,  desiring  to 
emulate  my  fame,  and  fired  by  my  success,  resolved  to 
accompany  me.  Shortly  after  getting  out  of  camp,  late  in  the 
afternoon,  we  sighted  a  rhinoceros,  and  in  making  a  detour 
round  a  hill  to  get  near  it,  we  discovered  two  others  nearer 
at  hand,  lying  asleep  in  the  grass.  I  started  off  to  stalk 
them,  carrying  my  8-bore  gun,  while  Martin  followed  behind 
with  my  Express  rifle.  As  we  crept  along  through  the  tall 
grass,  I  noticed  that  Martin  was  lagging  behind,  and,  judging 
from  his  face,  troubled  sadly  with  a  sinking  about  the  heart. 
Xot  caring,  however,  to  carry  off  all  the  honours,  and  being 
considerately,  and  of  course  most  unselfishly,  desirous  under 
the  circumstances,  of  only  sharing  the  dangerous  glory,  I 
impatiently  beckoned  to  him  to  close  up.     Slowly,  but  surely, 


134  Theough  Masai  Land. 

we  crept  towards  our  recumbent  prey,  with  rising  excitement 
and  half-suppressed  breathing.  Our  senses  being  painfully 
alert,  the  very  grass  seemed  to  make  a  loud  noise,  as  we 
pushed  it  aside.  We  reached  within  sixty  yards,  and  then 
Avithin  fifty,  Martin  was  still  inclined  to  lag ;  and  I  being 
more  and  more  anxious  not  to  monopolize  the  amenities  of 
the  situation,  persistently  disregarded  his  noble  inclination 
to  hold  his  hand,  and  let  me  get  a  chance  of  further  distin- 
guishing myself.  We  got  to  about  the  forty  yards'  distance, 
and  yet  the  rhinos  slept  peacefully  on,  while  the  sun  cast 
longer  and  longer  shadows  in  its  progress  towards  the 
horizon.  As  I  began  to  think  that  I  had  got  close  enough, 
there  was  a  loud  crack  behind  me,  caused  by  Martin  clumsily 
breaking  a  rotten  branch.  The  next  moment  the  animals 
were  on  their  feet,  all  attention.  "  We  are  in  for  it  now  !  " 
I  thought,  as  I  sank  flat  among  the  grass.  Turning  my  head 
round,  I  saw  Martin  behind  me,  apparently  ready  to  fly,  and 
I  glared  and  shook  my  fist  at  him  to  make  him  lie  down. 
But  too  late  !  They  had  seen  him,  and  with  a  loud  snort 
like  an  engine  blowing  ofl:'  the  steam,  they  stood  with  defiant 
attitude  trying  to  scent  us,  for  this  animal  never  seems  to 
be  able  to  make  up  its  mind  without  the  aid  of  its  olfactory 
organs.  The  wind  being  in  our  favour,  they  did  not  succeed, 
but  began  making  for  us,  running  a  few  steps  and  then 
stopping.  We  were  now  in  a  proper  pickle  ;  for  with  their 
heads  directed  towards  us,  no  vulnerable  part  was  exposed,  and 
to  fire  at  them  as  they  stood  would  only  be  to  risk  our  lives. 
Feeling  myself  in  a  decided  quandary,  I  began  to  indulge  in 
certain  very  wise  reflections  al)OUt  the  foolishness  of  running 
unnecessarily  into  such  positions,  and  I  was  prepared  to  make 
the  most  solemn  vow  never  to  incur  the  same  again  if  brought 
out  safe  this  time.  I  seemed  to  be  nailed  to  the  place, 
though  I  had  sutticient  presence  of  mind  to  get  ready  to  take 
advantage  of  any  opportunity.  One  of  the  monstrous  brutes 
had  now  got  within  ten  yards,  and  still  betrayed  a  lively 
curiosity  about  me.  Realizing  that  I  must  do  or  die,  and 
being  decidedly  averse  to  coming  into  closer  quarters,  I 
resolved  to  fire  and  stand  my  chance.  Just  at  that  moment 
bang  went  arifle  behind  me,  and  a  bullet  passed  close  to  my  ear. 
Almost  simultaneously,  without  voluntary  effort  of  mine, 
both  barrels  of  my  gun  were  enq)tied,  and  I  was  sprawling 
helplessly  on  my  back.  Let  not  the  reader,  however,  imagine 
that  it  was  my  purposed  victim  that  had  thus  laid  me  low. 
It  Avas  simply  my  own  gun  that  had  so  ignominiously  used 


Ckestfallen.  135 

me.  Recovering  myself,  preparatory  to  turning  an  expecteJ 
somersault  in  mid-air,  I  sprang  up,  when  bang  went  the  rifle 
again.  Looking  towards  the  enemy,  I  had  the  mortitication 
and  yet  satisfaction  of  seeing  two  tmwieldy  creatures 
careering  away  with  uplifted  tails,  evidently  unhurt.  Then 
turning  round,  I  dashed  my  hat  on  the  ground,  and  danced 
about  as  I  anathematized  the  culprit  Martin,  who  stood  white 
as  a  corpse,  shaking  in  every  nerve. 

The  affair  had  happened  in  this  wise.  On  the  rhino  get- 
ting up  I  became  so  absorbed  in  the  situation  that  I  forgot 
all  about  Martin,  who  meanwhile  woxild  have  fled,  but  that 
he  was  literally  fixed  by  the  eye  of  the  monster,  which,  by- 
the-bye,  was  the  first  he  had  ever  seen.  The  excitement  got 
to  be  too  much  for  him,  and,  unable  to  bear  it  any  longer,  he 
fired.  As  I  was  almost  in  a  line  with  the  game,  and  as  he 
was  a  bad  shot,  the  bullet  passed  close  to  my  ear,  causing  me 
to  wince,  and  draw  up  my  shoulder.  This  a^in  made  me 
pull  back  my  arm,  with  the  result  that  both  barrels  of  the 
gun  went  off  simultaneously,  promptly  landing  me  on  my 
back,  and  the  bullets  in  the  air. 

Fortunately  this  was  sufficient  to  frighten  the  creatures, 
and  they  fled ;  otherwise,  as  they  had  us  entirely  in  their 
power,  they  might  have  had  some  good  fun  with  us.  Martin 
actually  missed  both  times,  though  little  more  than  ten  yards 
oflF.  After  vociferously  pouring  the  vials  of  my  wrath  on  the 
devoted  head  of  the  culprit,  I  returned  mightily  crestfallen, 
as  I  was  aware  that  the  neighbouring  heights  were  lined  with 
on-lookers.  Sending  Martin  back  to  camp,  I  went  off"  with 
Brahim  to  try  and  acquire  a  new  Avreath  of  laurel.  For- 
tunately, I  succeeded,  as  night  came  on,  in  shooting  two 
rhinos,  which  somewhat  softened  my  temper.  Martin 
concluded,  after  that  adventure,  that  he  was  a  better 
shot  Avith  the  gun  than  the  rifle,  and  contented  himself 
thenceforth  with  shooting  guinea-fowl  and  other  two-legged 
things. 

Next  morning  I  sallied  forth  again  in  quest  of  further 
sport.  After  conducting  the  party  to  the  game  of  the  previous 
day,  I  left  them  and  pushed  on  with  Brahim  and  Bedue. 
Going  south,  and  crossing  the  Rombo  stream,  we  sighted  a 
rhinoceros  at  some  distance.  We  were  in  rather  an  un- 
favourable position  for  stalking  it,  as  we  were  neither  in 
nor  out  of  the  wind.  It  would  have  taken  a  long  detour  on 
the  open  plain  to  get  into  a  more  suitable  position,  so  we 
determined  to   work  straight  up   to   it.     When  we   were 


136  Through  Masai  Land. 

within  200  yards,  it  got  a  whiff  of  us,  which  made  it  spin 
round  as  if  it  had  been  struck,  and  trot  off.  The  wind  immedi- 
ately veering,  it  lost  our  scent  and  turned  round  to  look  for 
us.  Of  course  we  simultaneously  sank  flat  in  the  grass,  and 
lay  perdiL  Once  more  it  scented  us  and  trotted  away,  Avhile 
we  sprang  up,  and  Avith  bent  forms  rushed  after  it  to  fall  flat 
when  once  more  it  turned  round,  perjDlexed  by  the  uncertain 
character  of  our  wind.  We  thus  got  nearer  and  nearer.  The 
rhino,  becoming  furious,  noAv  varied  its  movements  by 
charging  aimlessly  in  the  direction  of  the  hidden  foe,  only  to 
turn  tail  on  getting  another  whiff.  At  last  we  got  pretty 
close  by  carefully  attending  to  our  tactics,  and  were  quite 
enjoying  the  excitement  of  the  curious  hunt,  when  with 
unexpected  suddenness  our  game  spun  round,  and  before  we 
were  hidden  in  the  grass  we  Avere  sighted.  Furiously  it 
charged  right  towards  us.  Shouting  to  Brahim  to  have  my 
second  rifle  at  hand,  I  sprang  to  my  feet  and  stood  ready. 
The  rhino's  courage,  however,  proved  to  be  all  show,  for 
within  twenty  yards  it  turned.  At  the  same  moment  a 
bullet  struck  its  side  with  a  dull  thud.  A  second  was 
lodged  in  the  creature  as  it  ran  oft",  but  neither  seemed  to 
have  struck  well,  for  we  never  got  it. 

Incidents  of  this  character  served  greatly  to  relieve  the 
tedium  of  the  annoying  delay  we  experienced  in  collecting 
food.  I  soon  saw  clearly  that  the  traders  did  not  want  to 
travel.  The  time  was  the  month  of  Ramadan,  and,  being 
good  Mohammedans,  they  held  that  period  sacred  to  fasting 
during  the  day,  and  to  feasting  right  gloriously  during  the 
night.  Where  could  this  be  better  accomplished  than  in  the 
cool  environs  of  Kimawenzi,  and  by  the  shady  banks  and 
crystal  waters  of  the  Lumi  ^  Food  was  in  abundance,  and 
extremely  cheap.  N'owhere  else  were  there  more  delicious 
bananas  and  plantains,  yams  and  various  grains.  The 
Lumi  yielded  savoury  fish ;  while  goats  and  fat  sheep, 
butter,  and  milk  daily  descended  from  Rombo  in  quanti- 
ties sufficient  to  gorge  the  most  gluttonous. 

I  here  discovered  a  curious  fact.  I  had  observed  that  the 
Wa-ronibo  wore  several  thick  rings  round  their  wrists  and 
necks,  besides  a  bulky  lump  of  the  same  metal  attached  to 
their  ears,  for  the  purpose  of  stretching  out  the  lobes.  From 
the  colour  and  appearance  of  these  ornaments,  I  at  first 
imagined  them  to  be  of  coast  brass ;  but  happening  to  get 
one  in  my  hand,  I  was  struck  by  its  weight,  which  was  like 
that  of  gold.     On   inquiry  I  learned  that  they  found  the 


The  Andorobbo. 


137 


metal  in  grains  in  various  rivulets  on  the  mountain  after  the 
rains,  and  that  they  smelted  and  manufactured  it  for  them- 
selves. The  metal  varies  very  much  in  weight  and  colour, 
which  shows  it  to  be  an  alloy.  I  thought  at  first  that  I  had 
fallen  upon  gold.  Further  examination,  however,  showed 
this  not  to  be  the  case.  It  is  simply  a  native  brass  of 
remarkable  density. 

While  staying  at  this  place,  two  Andorobbo  (Wando- 
robbo  of  the  Wa-swahUi)  came  from  Malimia,  Sultan  of  Useri 
and  Rombo,  to  invite  me  to  visit  him.     These  men  were 


.;.OBBO   MEK  AUD  A  WOHiy. 


very  interesting.  I  was  greatly  struck  by  the  cool  and 
indifferent  way  in  which  they  moved  about  the  camp,  in 
striking  contrast  to  the  scared  and  excitable  manner  of  the 
"Wa-chaga.  They  live  with  Malimia,  occupying  themselves 
with  elephant-hunting,  and,  being  more  reliable  and 
courageous  than  the  Wa-chaga,  they  are  employed  as 
ambassadors  by  the  Sultan. 

On  the  evening  of  the  15th  I  was  greatly  relieved  to  hear 
Jumba  Kimameta's  henchman  calling  for  silence,  which  being 


138  Through  Masai  Land. 

obtained,  he  warned  all  the  traders  to  get  ready  to  march  in 
two  days.  This  announcement  was  followed  by  a  tre- 
mendous uproar,  screaming,  yelling,  shouting,  singing, 
banging  of  guns,  followed  by  a  dance  and  a  fearful  scramble 
round  the  camp,  the  porters  stopping  at  each  trader,  who 
threw  them  presents  of  beads  and  cloth  according  to  his 
means  or  good-will. 

On  the  morning  of  the  27th  we  were  once  more  en  route, 
thoroughly  delighted  with  the  idea  that  at  last  our  delays 
were  over ;  for  however  good  might  be  the  sport  in  the 
district  around,  my  thoughts  longingly  turned  towards  the 
goal  of  my  desires — the  Masai  country.  The  landscape  still 
presented  the  same  aspect  of  rich,  treeless  pasturage,  on 
which  browsed  great  herds  of  hartebeests.  In  the  hope  of 
supplying  our  larder,  I  went  ahead,  accompanied  by  Songoro. 
He  carried  my  ammunition,  as  I  did  not  expect  to  meet  with 
any  dangerous  animal,  or  at  least  thought  I  would  have  plenty 
of  time  to  buckle  on  my  armour,  if  fight  were  needed. 
This  nearly  cost  me  dear.  We  had  been  on  the  tramp  due 
north  for  about  two  hours,  and  I  was  leisurely  moving  along 
about  100  yards  ahead  of  the  caravan,  enjoying  the  cool 
breeze  and  the  grand  prospect.  Suddenly  I  was  surprised  by 
the  loud  report  of  two  guns.  Turning  round,  I  saw  in  a 
moment  that  the  cause  of  the  disturbance  was  a  rhinoceros, 
which  had  been  sleeping  in  the  grass  unseen,  and  had  not 
been  made  aware  of  our  presence  till  after  I  and  a  part  of 
the  long  file  of  men  were  past.  Rudely  awakened  from 
its  morning's  nap,  it  was  preparing  to  charge  the  caravan. 
As  it  snorted  defiantly,  the  men  began  to  waver,  the  less 
brave  were  already  taking  to  their  heels  ;  while  the  "  komas," 
or  sacred  magic  staves  and  flags  which  lead  every  trading 
caravan,  were  unfurled  and  flourished,  to  exorcise  the  demon 
and  put  it  to  flight.  Nothing  awed  by  these  trusted  charms, 
the  angry  brute  blew  a  terrible  blast,  and,  with  head  down, 
charged  the  koma-bearers.  These,  being  the  very  best  men 
in  the  caravan,  held  on  steadily  for  a  little,  and,  with  great 
faith  in  the  efficacy  of  the  komas,  they  waved  them  vigor- 
ously. A  stampede,  however,  was  imminent,  when  Muhinna 
fired  his  Snider,  which  diverted  the  rhinoceros  from  the  men, 
and  made  it  pass  the  head  of  the  caravan.  Again  it  turned 
with  defiant  attitude,  bent  on  an  attack.  This  was  the  posi- 
tion of  afi'airs  when  I  seized  my  express  and  hurried  back. 
For  some  time  I  was  unable  to  fire,  as  the  animal  stood 
between  me  and  the  men.     liut,   thinking  apparently  that 


Dangerous  Moments.  139 

discretion  was  the  better  part  of  valour,  it  turned  tail  upon 
the  caravan,  and  came  at  a  steady  trot  towards  me.  Drop- 
ping on  my  knee,  to  take  a  steadier  aim,  I  waited  my  time. 
The  whole  caravan  were  yelling  and  shouting,  which  so  dis- 
tracted its  attention,  that  it  did  not  notice  me  before  it  in  the 
tall  grass.  When  within  thirty  yards  it  swerved  a  little,  and 
I  took  advantage  of  the  opportunity  to  fire.  The  bullet 
struck  close  to  the  spine,  and  was  just  sufficient  to  paralyze  it  a 
little  without  breaking  it.  The  great  brute  sank  partially  to 
the  ground  ;  but  on  my  giving  it  the  contents  of  the  second 
barrel  it  sighted  me,  and  then,  pulling  itself  together,  it 
came  crashing  towards  me  in  the  most  precipitate  manner. 
On  looking  round  for  Songoro,  I  found  that  worthy  show- 
ing his  heels  in  capital  style,  leaWng  me  with  empty  rifle. 
There  was  no  hope  of  evading  the  attack,  loaded  as  I  was 
with  heavy  boots,  and  in  tall  grass  ;  face  it  I  must.  In 
my  strongest  language  I  shouted  out  to  Songoro  to  bring  my 
ammunition,  and  ran  after  hiin  as  fast  as  I  could.  The  good 
fellow,  remembering  my  plight,  stopped  at  once,  arid  came 
running  with  a  cartridge  in  his  hand.  I  seized  it  in  feverish 
haste,  and  turned  to  face  the  enemy,  which  was  almost  upon 
me.  I  fumbled  most  clumsily  at  the  lock,  and  it  seemed  an 
age  before  the  cartridge  was  rammed  home  and  the  rifle  at 
my  shoulder.  As  I  raised  it,  the  rhino  would  be  little  more 
than  five  yards  oif.  The  very  imminence  of  my  danger 
palled  my  wits  together,  and  made  me  marvellously  cool  and 
collected.  I  did  not  feel  the  slightest  nervous  tremor.  I 
was  even  aware  that  the  cries  of  the  men  had  ceased,  as  they 
stood  motionless,  waiting  to  see  me  hoisted.  That,  however, 
was  not  to  be,  for  just  in  the  nick  of  time  I  made  a  dash 
sideways.  As  my  assailant  passed,  I  delivered  the  contents 
of  my  rifle  in  its  shoulder,  and  once  more  I  stood  unarmed. 
That  bidlet  was  sufficient  to  prevent  the  rhinoceros  from 
turning  round ;  but  catching  sight  of  Songoro  careering,  in 
his  white  kanzu,  in  front,  it  continued  after  him.  Soon, 
however,  it  began  to  show  signs  of  exhaustion,  and  as  it  was 
clear  that  Songoro  was  equal  to  the  occasion,  we  all  hurrahed 
and  cheered  on  the  hunted  and  the  himter.  A  roar  of 
laughter  burst  forth  as  Songoro,  thinking  that  the  brute  was 
coming  rather  too  close,  turned  suddenly  round  and  fired  off 
a  tiny  revolver.  This  was  renewed  on  seeing  the  rhinoceros 
give  up  the  chase  and  turn  away  in  another  direction.  Its 
trot  presently  turned  into  a  walk,  and  then  the  entire  caravan 
became  inspired  with  a  noble  ardour  for  the  chase.     The 


Peovoktng  Delay. 


141 


poor  brute  was  soon  surrounded  by  a  couple  of  hundred  men, 
who  bewildered  it  with  a  continuous  fusillade,  though  hardly 
a  shot  struck.  Thus  baited  by  its  foes,  it  scattered  them 
several  times  by  charging,  but  finally  it  succumbed,  through 
the  loss  of  blood  consequent  on  my  balls.  The  horns  proved 
to  be  the  largest  I  have  got,  the  front  one  being  beautifully 
curved  and  twenty-seven  inches  long. 

A  little  further  on  I  shot  a  pretty  little  antelope.  At 
noon  we  reached  a  magnificent  grove  of  enoi-mous  trees  which 
surround  the  fountains  of  the  Useri  river.     In  a  circiilar  open 


-•A/\> 


POUNTAIKS   OP  THE   rSEBI. 


space  in  the  very  heart  of  this  dense  forest  we  camped.  It 
was  nearly  night,  however,  before  every  one  came  in,  as  the 
porters  were  excessively  heavy  laden,  and  several  donkeys 
had  broken  doAvn. 

;My  hopes  of  continuous  travelling  were  again  doomed  to 
be  shattered.  The  traders  seized  on  a  trivial  pretext  to  make 
another  prolonged  halt,  their  real  object  being  to  get  over 
Eamadan  among  the  delightful  flesh-pots  of  Chaga.  I  had 
hitheiix)  been  most  bland  and  unobtrusive  in  my  ways,  but 


142  Throuoh  Masai  Land. 

now  I  appeared  in  a  new  light.  Coming  among  them  in  con- 
clave assembled,  I  burst  out  with  all  the  effect  of  a  bomb, 
uttering  my  indignation  with  an  energy  sufficient  to  make 
them  quake  in  their  shoes,  if  they  had  them.  Of  course 
they  told  all  manner  of  lies,  Avith  that  easy  fluency  so  peculiar 
to  the  African  race,  and  vowed  they  Avere  just  as  anxious  to 
get  on  as  I  was.  One  good  effect  of  my  unexpected  out- 
burst was  a  vastly  increased  respect,  for  nothing  impresses 
people  of  that  stamp  so  much  as  a  judicious  use  of  the 
Bombastes  Furioso  manner,  to  show  that  you  are  not  afraid 
of  them. 

At  the  fountains  of  the  Useri  stream,  we  had  got  sufficiently 
far  north  to  see  the  whole  of  the  upper  aspect  of  Kibo  past 
the  northern  face  of  Kimawenzi.  The  latter  presents  what 
appears  to  be  an  enormous  precipice  on  the  east  side  extend- 
ing from  the  plug  of  lava  which  forms  the  upper  peak  to 
more  than  half  way  down.  This  feature  seems  to  have 
been  formed  by  the  blowing  away  of  a  part  of  the  eastern 
side.  Kimawenzi  presents  here  in  a  very  beautiful  manner 
the  curved  outline  of  slope  which  is  so  characteristic  of  many 
large  volcanoes.  The  explanation  of  this  peculiarity  seems 
to  be  that  the  continual  removal  of  material  from  below  the 
mountain  has  tended  to  the  production  of  hollows  into  which 
the  overlying  strata  have  sunk,  thus  giving  the  sides  a 
concave  a];)pearance. 

On  the  second  day  after  our  arrival  at  Useri,  the  natives 
swarmed  down  in  multitudes.  Naturally  desirous  to  see  the 
stirring  scene,  I  proceeded  outside  our  forest-encircled  camp. 
On  making  my  appearance,  I  was  surprised  to  see  a  sudden 
stampede  of  the  Wa-chaga,  who  were  flying  in  evident 
dismay.  Turning  angrily  to  the  porters,  I  inquired  what 
they  had  been  doing  to  frighten  the  people  in  this  fashion. 
My  men  laughing  outright  put  me  momentarily  in  a  rage,  and 
I  was  proceeding  to  chastise  them  for  their  impudence  when 
I  was  suddenly  arrested  by  the  thought  dawning  on  me  that 
I  myself  was  the  cause  of  the  scare.  This  was  soon  proved 
to  be  the  case  ;  for  on  my  moving  forward  the  flight  was  con- 
tinued in  evident  terror,  notwithstanding  all  my  friendly 
shouts.  Clearly  I  was  an  alarming  object  to  them,  and  sadly, 
amidst  the  laughter  of  the  men,  I  had  to  return  to  camp, 
where  I  hid  my  diminished  head. 

Our  relations  were  rather  strained  with  the  Wa-seri.  They 
came  down  only  in  enormous  crowds,  and  were  ever  ready 
to  fly  in  a  panic,  while  none  of  our  party  dared  leave  camp 


Fighting  the  Flames.  143 

except  in  large  numbers.  The  cause  of  all  this  was  that  the 
last  Pangani  caravan  that  had  passed  had  captured  in  the 
most  treacherous  manner  and  literally  cut  the  throats  of  more 
than  thirty  "Wa-chaga  on  the  very  spot  where  we  were 
camped,  in  order  to  revenge  a  slight  wound  inflicted  on  a 
porter.  About  the  same  time  also  a  chief  of  Useri,  who  had 
been  very  troublesome  to  the  traders,  was  beguiled  into  the 
camp,  and  he  also  got  his  throat  cut.  Such  is  lynch  law  in 
East  Africa. 

A  very  exciting  episode   occurred   at  this  place,  which 
might  have  ended  disastrously  if  we  had  been  anywhere  but 
where  we  were.     The  tall  dry  grass  had  been  set  on  fire 
some  distance  to  the  south  of  us,  probably  by  the  Wa-seri. 
As  the  wind  was  blowing  north  with  unusual  violence,  the 
flames  came  down  on  us  with  terrific  speed  and  the  most 
appalling  noise.     Before  we  were  fairly  aware  what  was  up, 
the  camp  towards  the  open  was  completely  surrounded,  and 
the  whole  heavens  were  overcast  with  the  lurid  glow.     The 
scenes   and   sounds   that   followed    were   past    description. 
Monkeys  screamed  and  birds  cried  in  abject  terror.     Several 
hundred   men  rushed  about  and  shouted  in  uncontrollable 
excitement,  tearing  down  branches  to  thrash  out  the  flames, 
or  labouring  away  in  the  very  midst  of  the  relentless  element, 
looking  amid  their  fiery  surroundings  the  very  incarnation 
of  evil  spirits ;  some  ran  to  save  the  donkeys  outside,  and  to 
prevent  a  stampede,  and  soon  the  animals,   panic-stricken, 
added  to  the  chaos  and  confusion  by  rushing  pell-mell  into 
camp  with  their  great  ears  uplifted,  knocking  down  men  or 
whatever  came  in  their  way.     In  a  few  seconds  the  furious 
conflagration  swept  past,  and  we  were  beginning  to  think  all 
was  safe,  when  every  one  was  electrified  by  a  shout  for  help 
from  a  small  party  who  were  camped  by  themselves  outside, 
and  who  had  been  forgotten  in  the  excitement.     In  a  moment 
every  one  was  running  as  if  for  life,  towards  the  spot,  to 
discover  a  small  band  completely  surrounded  by  flames,  and 
fighting   away  with   the   fury   of   desperation   against   the 
mighty  foe  which  threatened  to  engulf  them.     With  a  will 
every  man,  regardless  of  burns  and  dangers,  braced  himself 
to  the  relief  of  the  besieged.     Mad  with  the  excitement,  we 
yelled  and  shouted,  as  with  vigorous  strokes  we  tackled  the 
enemy,  and  dashed  up  great  showers  of  sparks.     Soon  we 
had  the  best  of  it,  and  with  a  shout  of  triumph  a  road  was 
formed  inside. 

The  battle  was  won,  but  not  a  moment  too  soon.     As  it 


144  Through  Masai  Land. 

was,  several  loads  were  destroyed  and  several  men  badly 
burned.  Nothing  could  have  saved  us  from  immense  damage 
and  loss  of  life  if  we  had  been  camped  in  the  open.  We 
only  escaped  as  we  did  through  the  fact  that  an  impenetrable 
wall  of  green  forest  lines  the  two  fountains  of  the  Useri 
stream,  the  angle  at  their  junction  forming  our  camp. 

On  the  evening  of  the  same  day  I  had  a  very  narrow 
escape  from  a  very  poisonous  snake.  Requiring  an  article 
from  one  of  my  boxes,  I  began  turning  over  my  clothes  ;  I 
got  a  sudden  shock  by  finding  my  hand  touching  something 
clammy  and  cold.  Instinctively  drawing  back,  and  jumping 
aside,  I  had  the  pleasant  sensation  of  seeing  a  large  snake 
with  its  steely  eye  wriggle  itself  out  and  disappear  below 
my  camp  bed  before  I  could  seize  a  stick  to  despatch  it. 
On  examination  I  found  quite  a  nest  of  snake  eggs. 

[Next  day  the  country  looked  very  doleful.  The  burning 
of  the  grass  left  behind  a  perfectly  black  pall,  relieved  only 
by  the  brown  colours  of  the  shrivelling  leaves  which  the 
flames  had  been  unable  actually  to  reach.  I  shot  a  hartebeest 
for  the  pot,  and  was  made  to  regret  my  deed  of  blood  on  seeing 
the  infinitely  pitiful  manner  in  which  its  mate  hung  about, 
divided  between  terror  of  the  destroyer  and  A^dstful  tender- 
ness and  anxiety  for  its  struggling  and  bleeding  companion. 
Bounding  away  a  few  steps,  it  would  turn  again  to  face  the 
hunter  with  its  great  beautiful  eyes,  or  to  cast  perplexed 
glances  at  the  dying  hartebeest,  wondering  doubtless  what 
horrid  fate  had  flillen  upon  it,  I  could  have  easily  shot  the 
poor  creature,  but  I  felt  too  conscience-stricken  to  do  the 
deed  of  blood,  and  I  let  it  alone.  The  realities  of  the 
situation  seemed  to  dawn  upon  it  when  my  butchers  began 
to  cut  up  the  meat;  with  one  last,  lingering  look  it  fled  the 
scene,  nor  stopped  till  far  away. 

I  would  here  have  the  reader  clearly  understand  that  while 
to  some  extent  I  enjoyed  the  excitement  and  adventiire 
arising  from  hunting,  the  whole  tenor  of  my  thoughts 
revolted  from  the  idea  of  shooting  game  from  mere  love  of 
sport.  I  can  conscientiously  say  tliat  except  in  the  case  of 
buffaloes,  rhinoceroses,  and  elepliants,  I  never  shot  a  head 
of  game  for  anything  but  the  prosaic  requirements  of  the  pot, 
although  by  this  means  I  frequently  kept  my  men  in  food 
for  days,  or  added  to  their  insipid  fare  of  porridge  made  from 
grain.  In  no  sense  do  I  consider  myself  a  sportsman,  and  I 
by  no  means  aspire  to  the  fame  of  a  Ninirod,  though  my 
deeds  might  perhaps  fairly  entitle  me  to  the  name.     Hunting 


Unpleasant  Hunting.  145 

did  serve,  however,  to  let  off  my  bile  and  allay  the  spirit  of 
restlessness  when,  as  at  Kombo  and  XJseri,  I  was  compelled  to 
waste  valuable  time, — time  which  might  have  been  profit- 
ably spent,  had  I  not  been  kept  continually  under  the  belief 
that  we  would  go  on  at  once,  only  to  have  my  hopes  utterly 
disappointed  by  their  objectless  lies. 

On  the  fifth  day  of  our  stoppage  at  Useri,  when  lying 
reading  poetry  in  my  tent,  as  a  relief  from  the  barren  occupa- 
tion of  cursing  my  fate  and  wondering  when  all  this 
purposeless  delay  would  end,  I  was  aroused  by  some  men 
coming  excitedly  into  camp  with  the  news  that  a  rhinoceros 
was  feeding  about  two  miles  to  the  east.  I  felt  very  little 
inclined  to  risk  my  life  any  more  in  shooting  those  dangerous 
brutes,  but  reluctantly  allowed  myself  to  be  dragged  out  by 
my  men,  who  only  foresaw  a  feast  and  did  not  trouble  them- 
selves about  the  peril  to  me.  Followed  by  a  great  crowd  of 
porters  and  traders,  who  were  desirous  of  watching  the  sport, 
I  started  off,  carrying  as  usual  my  8-bore  gun,  Brahim 
holding  my  Express  as  a  reserve.  On  sighting  the  animal  at 
about  a  quarter  of  a  nule,  I  discovered  that  it  was  a  female 
with  a  baby  rhino.  A  strong  feeling  of  reluctance  seized  me 
at  the  thought  of  hunting  it,  and  but  for  the  fact  of  so  many 
men  being  about,  I  would  have  turned  to  the  right-about  and 
slunk  back  to  camp.  But  what  reason  could  I  give  to  the 
men  1  What  would  they  understand  by  the  presentiment 
that  possessed  me  of  disaster  if  I  ventured  within  reach  of 
that  rhinoceros  ?  Could  I  endure  to  be  dubbed  a  coward 
after  all  the  deeds  of  daring  I  had  performed  t  I  looked 
wistfully  at  the  unconscious  animal  in  the  distance,  and  tried 
to  find  an  excuse  as  a  loophole  of  escape,  but  there  was 
none,  and  rather  than  confess  myself  frightened,  I  resolved 
(as  it  seemed  to  me)  to  sacrifice  my  life  for  my  reputation, 
for  I  felt  somehow  convinced  that  I  would  not  escape 
scathless. 

When  we  first  sighted  the  rhinoceros  it  was  leisurely 
grazing  on  the  open  plain,  and  there  was  not  a  b\ish  to  afford 
the  slightest  cover  for  the  purposes  of  stalking.  As  I  moved 
round  to  get  the  wind  in  my  favour  I  was  greatly  relieved 
to  see  my  game  lie  down  in  the  long  grass.  That  simplified 
our  movements  considerably.  The  same  dread  presentiment, 
however,  still  clung  to  me,  and  reduced  my  temperature  to 
zero,  till  I  positively  shivered  with  a  feeling  of  ice-cold  water 
pouring  down  my  back.  Slowly,  but  surely,  Brahim  and  I 
crept  along  like  snakes,  and  not  a  sound  betrayed  our  presence, 

L 


146  Through  Masai   Land. 

though  to  my  ears,  now  painfully  acute,  my  heart  seemed  to 
thump  against  my  ribs  like  the  strokes  of  a  drum,  and  I  almost 
suffocated  myself  attempting  to  tone  down  my  breathing.  I  felt 
also  that  if  I  did  not  shake  off  the  feelings  which  paralyzed  me, 
I  should  never  be  able  to  hold  up  my  gun,  much  less  to  fire  it. 
But  for  pure  shame  and  "  dour  "  obstinacy  I  would  not  give 
way,  and  my  j^ainful  sense  of  helplessness  only  rendered  me 
irritable.  Inch  by  inch  we  approached  the  heedless  brute. 
Laying  the  rifle  well  forward,  I  pulled  myself  gently  up  to 
it,  carefully  laying  the  grass  to  prevent  the  slightest  rustle. 
By  repeating  this  process,  we  at  last  got  within  fifteen  j'-ards, 
and  then  to  my  intense  relief  the  horrid  feeling  which, 
Nemesis-like,  had  threatened  to  destroy  me,  began  to  fade 
away.  The  twitching  feeling  subsided ;  the  heart  beat  less 
noisily  ;  I  began  to  feel  less  limp ;  I  was  once  more  a  vertebrate 
animal.  "With  more  confidence  I  pushed  slowly  on,  and 
presently,  we  were  within  ten  yards.  We  were  still  unob- 
served, but  not  for  long  ;  for  at  this  moment  the  baby  got  up 
and  began  moving  about  restlessly,  snifling  the  air,  and 
looking  suspicious.  At  first  I  thought  of  fixing  instantly,  but 
observing  that  the  baby  had  not  seen  me,  I  sank  flat  on  the 
grass.  In  a  short  time  its  suspicions  were  allayed,  and  it  lay 
down  again.  There  was  a  small  tree  between  us,  and  looking 
upon  that  as  a  house  of  refuge,  I  determined  to  get  up  to  it 
before  I  fired,  though  it  was  within  two  yards  of  the  rhino- 
ceros. The  seconds  now  seemed  to  expand  into  hours  as  we 
noiselessly  covered  the  intervening  distance.  The  tree  was 
reached  at  last,  and  as  I  lay  for  a  minute  to  steady  my  nerves, 
and  generally  recover  myself,  I  could  actually  hear  the 
animal  breathing.  The  time  for  action  had  now  arrived, 
and  the  rhinoceros  was  lying  in  a  beautiful  position  for  a  shot. 
Elevating  myself  slightly,  not  without  a  measure  of  trepida- 
tion, and  pushing  some  grass  aside  to  view  my  prey  more 
clearly,  I  raised  my  great  gun  to  my  shoulder,  and  with  a 
coolness  and  a  firmness  that  surprised  myself,  I  aimed  and 
pulled  the  trigger.  There  was  a  fearful  roar  as  I  sank  again 
among  the  grass,  prepared,  however,  to  use  the  second  barrel 
if  necessary.  As  the  great  ball  pierced  the  unsuspecting 
animal,  it  bounded  to  its  feet,  ran  a  few  steps  up  the  wind, 
then  turned  at  right  angles  and  fled.  At  the  same  moment 
I  sprang  up  and  fired  again  ;  then,  seizing  the  Express  from 
Brahim,  I  gave  its  contents  to  the  baby,  and  almost 
simultaneously  tliey  both  sank  down,  dyeing  the  ground  with 
their  hearts'  blood.     At  the  same  moment  I  heard  the  dis- 


FaSTIKG    EXTBAOEDINAEY.  147 

tant  shouts  of  the  on-lookers.  After  seeing  Brahim  cut  the 
throats  of  the  spoil,  I  started  off  home,  trying  to  look  as  if 
such  deeds  were  not  worth  noticing,  but  feeling  a  "  goneness  " 
about  me  that  would  possibly  have  been  helped  by  the  cus- 
tomary remedy  for  such  a  weakness,  ^dz.,  a  glass  of  brandy, 
which  I  may  add  I  never  taste. 

Varied  by  adventures  like  these  the  days  crept  on,  and  it  was 
very  clear  that  no  further  movement  would  be  made  till  the 
month  of  fasting  (so  called)  was  over.  Food  was  in  abun- 
dance. Water  welled  up  in  great  volume  at  our  feet  clear  and 
cool  as  it  descended  from  the  heights  of  Kimawenzi  by  some 
underground  channel,  while  magnificent  forest-trees  shaded 
us  deliciously  from  the  noonday  heat.  The  temperature  sank 
to  60°  Fahr.  during  the  night,  and  seldom  rose  at  any  time 
above  70°.  The  traders  spent  the  day  in  prayers  and  sleeping 
till  the  sun  set,  and  then  they  caroused  and  fattened  on 
the  good  things  of  Useri.  The  scene  within  that  glorious 
arboreal  amphitheatre  was  surpassingly  beautiful  and  pic- 
turesque when  the  shades  of  night  set  in,  and  a  hundred 
bonfires  lit  up  the  forest  with  lurid  flames,  among  which  the 
naked  men  could  be  seen  flitting  about  like  dark,  restless 
spirits.  Encircling  this  lower  zone  was  the  heightened  gloom 
of  the  great  trees,  and  over  all  the  firmament  gleamed  and 
twinkled.  About  two  hours  after  sunset,  through  the  noise 
and  merriment  of  the  camp,  a  voice  each  night  rose  with 
impressive  effect.  As  the  sonorous  and  musical  sound 
gathered  volume,  voices  were  hushed,  conversation  ceased, 
and  a  striking  reverence  reigned  throughout  the  camp.  The 
sound  that  tlius  re-echoed  through  the  ambient  atmosphere 
was  the  sacred  call  to  prayer.  Every  word  was  articulated 
with  great  distinctness  and  sung  out  as  far  as  breath  would 
last,  and  as  it  filled  the  reverberating  and  re-echoing  woods 
with  its  thrilling  power,  even  we  "  infidels  "  felt  inclined  to 
lift  our  hats  in  respect.  As  the  echoes  of  the  last  words  died 
away  the  broken  threads  of  conversation  were  picked  up. 
The  joke  was  repointed,  and  liveliness  was  once  more  the 
order  of  the  day. 

On  the  4th  of  August,  when  the  departing  sun  lit  up  as 
with  a  halo  the  snow-white  head  of  Kibo,  and  dusky- 
sandaUed  eve  was  succeeding  to  the  effulgence  of  day,  every 
man  emerged  from  camp,  and  eagerly  watched  the  western 
heavens.  No  one  was  a  more  eager  gazer  than  myself ;  for 
we  hoped  to  see  in  the  sky  a  sign  that  the  month  of  fasting 
was  over,  and  with  it  our  vexatious  delavs.     In  other  words, 

L  2 


148  Through  Masai  Land. 

Ave  were  looking  out  for  the  appearance  of  the  new  moon.  I 
had  the  honour  of  being  the  first  to  see  this  sign  of  what  was 
to  me  a  new  era  of  hope,  and  as  the  faint,  silvery  line,  still 
bathed  in  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun,  emerged  to  view,  I 
threw  my  hat  in  the  air,  and  sliouted  out  an  eager  "  There  it 
is  !  "  Soon  all  saw  it,  and  amidst  jumping,  shouting,  and 
prayers,  we  all  returned  to  camp. 

Long  before  dawn  the  "rigidly  righteous"  followers  of 
the  Prophet  were  at  work  chanting  prayers.  This  exercise 
continued  till  about  7  a.m.  Then  their  devotions  stopped, 
and  volley  after  volley  was  thundered  forth,  to  the  great 
terror  of  the  natives,  who  fled  in  dismay.  Thereafter  every 
one,  arrayed  in  his  best,  proceeded  to  call  on  every  other  one, 
to  pass  the  compliments  of  the  season  and  exchange  gifts. 
To  mark  the  occasion  I  had  to  give  a  present  to  each  of  my 
men,  and  then,  arrayed  in  a  new  tweed  suit,  I  took  up  my 
post  near  my  tent,  and  held  a  levee,  considerably  diminishing 
my  small  stock  of  comforts  in  trying  to  sustain  my  dignity 
as  the  most  important  man  in  the  caravan. 

Next  day  (the  6tli  of  August)  we  prepared  to  march 
forth.  But  before  doing  so,  all  the  traders  gathered  to- 
gether and  piled  their  arms.  Then  four  men  went  to  as 
many  corners,  and  round  these  Jumba  marched,  chanting 
some  prayers,  presumably  for  our  success  and  safety,  and 
for  destruction  to  all  our  foes.  The  ceremony  ended  with 
all  the  merchants  joining  in  a  common  prayer  from  the 
Koran. 

Our  march  was  a  short  one,  nearly  north-Avest,  over  a 
somewhat  better  wooded  country,  more  broken,  and  rising 
considerably  in  altitude,  till  we  reached  a  fine  grove  of  trees. 
These  trees,  as  at  Useri,  mark  the  fountains  of  the  Kiman- 
gelia  stream,  which  joining  the  Useri  stream  to  the  east, 
forms  the  Tzavo  river. 

Here  we  resolved  to  camp.  We  had  cut  our  way  for 
shelter  into  the  very  heart  of  the  wood,  and  were  rapidly 
getting  the  undergrowth  cleared  sufficiently  to  permit  the 
stacking  of  the  goods  and  the  pitching  of  the  tents.  I  was 
taking  my  ease  on  a  camp-stool,  enjoying  the  cool  shade  and 
a  refreshing  cup  of  cofi'ee,  Avhen  I  was  startled  by  an  extra- 
ordinary commotion.  Jumping  to  my  feet,  and  throwing 
down  the  cup  as  I  instinctively  seized  my  ever-ready  rifle,  I 
observed  a  sight  which  sent  a  thrill  through  me.  Men  were 
running  on  all  sides  as  if  the  ground  had  yawned  to  swallow 
them  up.     Some  were  scrambling  up  trees,  others,  paralyzed, 


A    FIERCE    ViSITOK.  149 

hid  behind  bushes,  or  any  other  object.  Terror  seemed  to 
permeate  the  air  with  electric  effect,  and  the  short,  quick 
cries  of  excited,  fKinic-stricken  men  were  heard  on  all  sides. 
Almost  paralyzed  myself  at  this  extraordinary  but  as  yet 
unseen  danger,  I  stood  helpless  till  I  was  enlightened  by  one 
of  my  men  screaming  out  to  me  in  a  warning  voice,  "  Bwana, 
bwaua,  mboga ! "  (Master,  a  buffalo.)  "  Good  gracious  ! 
where  1"  I  said,  as  I  skipped  with  agility  behind  a  tree,  and 
peered  cautiously  psLst  the  side  in  the  direction  indicated — 
for  be  it  known  that  there  is  not  a  more  dangerous  or  dreaded 
animal  in  all  Africa.  Knowing  now  what  was  really  the 
matter,  I  felt  less  put  out,  and  was  prepared  for  any  emer- 
gency. The  next  moment  there  was  a  thrilling  terror-laden 
yell,  which  went  to  the  heart  of  every  one,  and,  looking  in 
the  direction  of  the  cry,  I  was  appalled  by  the  sight  of  a  man 
propelled  like  a  rocket  in  mid-air,  and  a  fierce  old  bufialo 
bull  breaking  out  of  the  bushes.  The  man  feU  with  a  loud 
crash  into  a  dense  bush  and  the  bull  was  making  for  him 
again,  when  several  of  us  gathering  oxir  wits  together  rushed 
to  his  rescue.  Before  I  got  up,  a  regular  volley  was  fired  at 
the  savage  brute,  which  seemed  to  take  no  effect  except  to 
make  him  leave  the  fallen  man  and  run  amuck  through  the 
camp.  Lota  of  the  men  were  outside  unable  to  see  what  was 
going  on,  and  we  all  shouted  out  in  a  voice  of  warning  as  we 
rushed  after  the  infuriated  animal.  We  just  got  outside, 
to  see  a  tremendous  scramble  on  the  part  of  every  one  to 
get  out  of  danger,  while  donkeys  ran  braying  with  fear. 
One  xmfortunate  brute,  however,  laden  with  senenge,  was 
right  in  the  way,  and  before  it  could  clear  off  the  buffalo  was 
upon  it.  Next  moment  the  donkey,  load  and  all,  was  impaled 
on  its  horns,  and  twirled  in  the  air  as  if  it  were  a  rat  thrown 
up  by  a  dog.  Not  satisfied  with  that  feat,  the  buffalo 
dashed  a  second  time  at  the  poor  donkey,  writhing  in  its 
convulsions  with  its  entrails  hanging  out,  and  gave  it  a  tre- 
mendous blow  on  the  head,  which  literally  smashed  the  sktdl, 
and  ended  its  life. 

A  neighbouring  clump  of  dense  bush  now  afforded  shelter 
to  the  buffalo,  and  immediately  we  were  all  round  it,  noisier 
than  a  pack  of  hounds.  Every  one,  however,  was  on  the 
alert,  knowing  as  we  did  the  remarkable  cunning  of  the 
vindictive  brute.  But,  in  reality,  we  were  in  more  danger 
from  each  other's  guns,  as  they  were  fired  recklessly  and 
aimlessly  into  the  heart  of  the  brake.  This  baiting  had 
the  effect  of  causing  the  buffalo  to  make  several  vicious 


150  Theough  Masai  Land. 

charges  to  the  edge  of  the  cover,  but  it  always  retreated  after 
seeing  its  tormentors  flying  in  terror. 

Knowing  that  it  must  ultimately  be  driven  forth,  I  took 
up  a  situation  where  I  thought  it  would  most  likely  break 
cover.  I  had  not  long  to  Avait.  There  was  a  shout,  a 
crashing  of  bushes,  and  then  the  great  clumsy  form  came 
thundering  out.  As  it  passed  within  ten  yards,  I  fired  my 
Express,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  that  the  shot  had 
taken  effect,  as  the  buffalo  staggered  and  nearly  fell. 
Eecovering  itself,  it  sought  refuge  in  the  bush  again,  re- 
ceiving, as  it  did  so,  a  second  bullet  from  me. 

We  now  knew  that  the  game  was  ours,  as  it  would 
infallibly  die,  and  we  were  leisurely  discussing  the  situation, 
when  we  were  taken  aback  by  a  terrified  shout.  Looking 
round,  I  saw  one  of  my  men  sprawling  on  the  ground,  and 
the  buffalo  preparing  to  give  him  his  quietus.  Makatubu, 
who  was  nearest,  with  rare  courage  rushed  \ip  and  fired  his 
gun  into  the  very  face  of  the  buffalo,  which  caused  it  to  re- 
treat into  the  bush  again.  The  man  had  been  coming  back 
to  camp  from  drawing  water,  quite  unaware  of  the  cause  of 
all  the  shouting  and  tiring.  In  passing  near  the  bush,  before 
he  knew  what  he  was  about,  he  Avas  set  upon  by  the  buffalo, 
and  knocked  down. 

I  now  resolved  to  try  to  finish  it  off,  and  with  Makatubu 
and  Brahim  as  supporters,  proceeded  to  the  bush.  We 
found,  however,  that  that  was  composed  of  poAverful  thorns, 
so  densely  interlaced  that  no  progress  could  be  made,  except 
on  all  fours  along  the  game  tracks.  With  bated  breath  and 
staring  eyes,  we  crept  about  for  some  time,  trying  to  find  the 
enemy,  but  gradually  becoming  more  and  more  painfully 
alive  to  the  fact  that  nothing  could  save  us  if  it  should 
charge.  To  run  away  was  a  simple  impossibility.  At  last 
this  feeling  grew  so  overpoweringly  strong,  that,  after  risking 
my  life  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  I  withdrew  from  the  hunt. 
'Soi  so  Brahim  and  Makatubu,  who,  with  a  recklessness  of 
the  most  remarkable  character,  determined  to  be  in  at  the 
death. 

On  getting  back  to  camp  I  found  I  had  some  work  before 
me.  The  man  fust  thrown  had  had  his  leg  knocked  out  of 
joint  and  certain  parts  fearfully  lacerated.  The  men  were 
looking  on  helplessly,  but  I  saw  that,  if  the  man  was  ever  to 
be  worth  anything  again,  prompt  action  was  required.  1  had 
never  seen  a  leg  set,  and  had  only  very  hazy  ideas  how  to  do 
it  ;  but  with  Martin  and  one  of  my  strongest  men,  I  set  to, 


Triumph  at  Last.  151 

and,  heedless  of  the  cries  of  the  victim  and  the  astonished 
remonstrances  of  the  onlookers,  we  had  his  leg  into  its  place 
in  a  trice  and  thoroughly  bandaged  up.  Then,  getting  a 
razor,  I  manipulated  the  torn  parts  and  dressed  them  up 
beautifully,  and  in  the  end  felt  quite  a  pride  in  my  work. 
It  may  be  added  that  the  man,  thanks  to  my  prompt  if 
rough  surgery,  became  quite  well,  and  was  never  tired  of 
sounding  my  praises.  The  other  man  had  received  no 
particular  injury,  and  was  soon  all  right. 

While  thus  engaged  we  were  again  sadly  upset  by  the 
banging  of  some  guns,  followed  by  the  swish  of  a  bullet 
which  lodged  in  a  tree  close  to  us.  We  fled  in  dismay  once 
more  to  the  friendly  shelter  of  the  trees  as  several  more  shots 
resounded  through  the  forest.     The  firing  then  ceased,  and 


THE    hVY.  jRlTS,   EIMA>i'GELIA. 

shortly  after  Atakatubu  and  Brahini  arrived  in  triumph, 
bearing  the  head  of  the  buffalo,  which  they  had  succeeded  in 
finishing.  The  beast's  face  bones  were  simply  shattered,  and 
one  eye  knocked  out,  while  several  holes  showed  where 
buUets  had  harmlessly  lodged  about  the  cranium.  It  had 
clearly  been  an  old,  solitary  bull  driven  from  the  herd,  and 
soured  in  temper  in  consequence.  The  massive  and  grandly 
rugged  character  of  its  horns  plainly  told  its  age,  and  with- 
out doubt  it  must  have  been  almost  deaf,  as  it  had  lain 
almost  in  the  midst  of  the  camp  for  some  time  before  being 
aroused  to  indulge  in  the  dangerous  escapades  I  have 
described. 

In  consequence  of  this  adventure  it  became  necessary  to 
send  back  the  woimded  men  to  Taveta.     It  would  have  been 


152  Through  Masai  Land. 

out  of  the  question  to  carry  them  with  us,  loaded  to  the 
killing-point  as  we  were.  I  had,  therefore,  with  the  best 
grace  possible,  to  submit  to  the  inevitable,  and  wait  for  the 
return  of  the  ambulance  corps. 

Kimangelia  (or  rather  our  camp  at  the  fountains  of  the 
stream  known  to  the  Wa-swahili  by  the  name  of  the 
neighbouring  district)  Ave  found  to  be  situated  at  a  height 
of  nearly  4000  feet.  The  country  was  much  more  broken 
and  wooded  than  any  we  had  yet  traversed.  The  greatest 
peculiarity,  however,  was  the  frequent  "  Scotch  mist "  or 
drizzle  Avhich  enveloped  us,  making  the  thinly-clad  coast  men 
cringe  and  shiver  round  their  fires  in  the  most  pitiful 
manner.  As  the  temperature  during  the  four  days  we 
remained  there  rarely  got  above  64°  Fahr.,  and  was  frequently 
down  to  50°  in  the  early  morning,  I  was  glad  myself  to  get 
inside  an  overcoat. 

One  of  the  trees  in  the  forest  I  found  to  be  no  less  than 
thirty  feet  in  girth.  It  sprang  up  unbranched  to  a  height 
of  100  feet,  where  it  spread  out  in  a  massive  crown. 

The  time  of  waiting  for  the  ambulance  was  occupied  in 
making  two  excursions  up  to  the  base  of  Kimangelia,  where 
we  held  a  market  with  the  natives,  who  descended  in  extra- 
ordinary numbers.  We  had  to  be  strongly  armed  and 
provided  with  a  large  escort,  as  the  people  were  evidently 
only  waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  revenge  the  massacre  of 
their  brethren.  I  also  had  another  rhinoceros  hunt,  this  time 
following  a  wounded  one  for  two  hours  through  dense  bush, 
and  finally  losing  it.  I  cannot  conceive  any  more  exciting 
or  dangerous  form  of  hunting  than  that  of  following  such  an 
animal  into  the  narrow  labyrinths  which  penetrate  an  African 
bush.  The  hunter  cannot  see  a  couple  of  yards  ahead,  and 
never  knows  but  that  the  next  bush  may  hide  the  vindictive 
brute,  though  only  too  certain  that  a  charge  would  simply 
mean  death,  as  the  possibility  of  stopping  the  creature  by  a 
head-shot  is  n^7,  and  flight  out  of  the  question. 

At  Kimangelia  we  found  ourselves  at  the  confines  of  the 
Masai  country,  which  I  had  now  so  long  looked  forward  to. 
This  also  is  the  northsrn  limit  of  the  inhabited  part  of 
Kilimanjaro — the  absence  of  water,  the  unbroken  angle  of 
slope,  and  the  proximity  of  the  Masai  making  the  rest 
uninhabitable. 


On  the  Masai  Fkontiee  again.        153 
CHAPTER  VII. 

TO    KIKUYU. 

On  the  10th  of  August  the  men  sent  to  Taveta  returned, 
bringing  with  them  a  letter  from  one  Jumba  Mwengi- 
Mwengi,  asking  our  Jumba  to  wait  for  him  about  ten  days, 
and  he  would  then  join  hira  with  his  caravan,  A  council 
was  called,  and  in  fear  and  trembling  I  awaited  the  result. 
To  my  great  relief  the  conclusion  arrived  at  was  not  to  wait, 
but  to  set  off  at  once  to  the  Masai.  It  may  be  mentioned,  by 
the  way,  that  this  new  caravan,  consisting  of  several  hundred 
men,  was  attacked  by  small-pox  shortly  after  its  arrival  at 
Taveta,  and  that  more  than  one  half  of  them  died,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  the  remainder  were  compelled  to  return  to 
the  coast.  This  will  suggest  to  the  reader  one  of  the  many 
dangers  that  are  always  facing  an  African  expedition. 

On  the  11th  of  August  we  made  what  may  be  called  our 
fourth  start  for  that  country  which  had  proved  to  be  "  so  near 
and  yet  so  far."  On  getting  outside  the  forest,  the  traders 
indulged  in  some  mysterious  incantations  and  ceremonies 
in  which  the  use  of  blue  paper  was  an  essential  feature,  and 
then  in  the  midst  of  a  dense  fog  we  set  off. 

At  tirst  the  route  led  us  through  thick  bush  ;  or  rather  we 
projected  our  own  route,  for  pathway  there  was  none.  In  a 
short  time  we  emerged  upon  a  pleasing,  grassy,  rolling  country, 
with  numerous  conical  and  dome-shaped  hills  to  the  east. 
We  rose  gently  in  elevation,  till,  after  two  hours'  marching, 
we  reached  the  pasturage  of  the  Masai  in  the  dreadeil 
district  of  Lytok-i-tok.  Of  course  we  were  pushing  on 
with  every  possible  precaution,  as  we  did  not  know  when 
we  might  fall  in  with  the  Masai  themselves.  I  led  a  strong 
vanguard  of  men  without  loads,  comprising  several  of  the 
best  speakers  of  the  language,  while  the  main  body  kept  as 
compactly  together  as  their  environment  would  permit,  the 
rear  being  brought  up  by  Martin,  Jumba,  and  nearly  all  the 
masters.  Near  a  deserted  kraal  we  were  thrown  into  con- 
fusion by  a  rhinoceros  breaking  through  the  caravan,  and 
again  by  another  showing  a  disposition  to  perform  the  same 
feat.  It  may  be  here  remarked  that  this  was  an  extremely 
common  occurrence,  and  yet  no  person  had  ever  been  hurt 
The  animals  seemed  to  make  these  escapades  for  the  pure  fun 
of  the  thing,  for  if  they  had  intended  serious  mischief  they 
might  easily  have  tossed  the  porters  running  panic-stricken 
before  them.     Probably  the  fact  of  their  breaking  through 


154  Theough  Masai  Land. 

arises  from  no  special  desire  to  scatter  their  enemies,  but  from 
their  inborn  tendency  to  run  np  the  wind.  I  have  noticed 
that  in  almost  every  case  the  charge  has  taken  place  when 
the  brute  has  been  lying  asleep  among  the  grass  on  the  lee- 
side  of  the  caravan.  Having  been  suddenly  saluted  by  the 
scent  of  the  passing  company,  it  has  jumped  up  and  rushed 
straight  through,  either  with  no  vindictive  purpose,  or  so 
bewildered  by  the  numbers  of  men  running  in  all  directions 
that  it  has  been  unable  to  select  any  victim.  On  one  occa- 
sion, however,  I  saw  one  pitch  a  load  in  the  air  that  had 
been  thrown  down  in  its  course.  The  komas  on  those 
occasions  are  always  unfurled  and  waved  vigorously  to 
exorcise  the  demon  by  their  magical  virtues. 

Near  the  kraal  we  crossed  a  small  stream,  and  then  a  short 
distance  farther  on  we  camped  at  another  stream  named 
Kamanga  or  Ngare  Kongei  (narrow  river).  Finding  game 
very  numerous  here,  I  went  out  shooting  in  the  evening,  and 
brought  down  two  buffaloes,  though  I  was  exceedingly  care- 
ful in  my  movements,  after  Avhat  I  had  seen  of  the  vindic- 
tiveness  and  vitality  of  these  animals.  I  also  followed  a  herd 
of  nearly  sixty  giraffes,  but  failed  to  get  a  shot. 

The  Kamanga  flows  east  and  then  turns  round  near  the 
Kyulu  mountains  'and  joins  the  Tzavo.  Our  camp  proved 
to  be  4600  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  We  had  thus 
reached  the  highest  point  of  the  broad  ridge  which  here 
extends  from  the  base  of  Kimawenzi,  and  which  shades  off' 
into  the  drainage  basin  of  the  Tzavo.  The  men  must  have 
suffered  sadly  during  the  night,  as  the  wind  blew  bitterly 
cold  from  the  mountain,  and  the  temperature  sank  to 
about  .50°. 

Next  day  we  made  a  short  march,  and  camped  at  a  spring. 
Game  continued  to  increase  in  numbers,  and  at  one  and  the 
same  moment  there  could  be  seen  rhinoceros,  giraffe,  zebra, 
eland,  wildebeest,  Grant's  antelope  (?),  hartebeest,  pallah, 
ostriches,  and  hyenas,  while  buffaloes  were  also  in  great  num- 
bers hidden  in  the  dense  busb.  I  enjoyed  a  feast  of  ostrich 
eggs,  which,  Avhen  beat  up  into  an  omelette,  are  barely 
distinguishable  from  ordinary  eggs. 

The  view  looking  north-east  across  tlie  basin  of  the  Tzavo, 
with  its  conical,  isolated  peaks,  grassy  plains  and  forest 
reaches,  to  the  fine  range  of  Kyulu,  of  U-kambani,  is  very 
similar  to  the  view  from  Mandara's  across  the  Kahe  to  the 
Sogonoi  mountains,  though  it  is  wanting  in  the  tropical 
luxuriance  and  richness  of  the  latter  landscape. 


Visit  of  Masai  Elders.  155 

Leaving  the  spring,  we  make  a  good  march  over  much 
the  same  kind  of  country.  Keeping  in  fronts  I  shot  two 
zebras  and  a  wildebeest.  These  proved  to  be  a  welcome 
addition  to  our  larder,  which  was  showing  signs  of  begin- 
ning to  fail,  our  men  having  been  too  heavily  loaded  other- 
wise to  be  able  to  carry  many  days'  food.  After  a  tramp 
of  five  hours,  we  descended  considerably  in  altitude,  and 
reached  a  great  plain  which  stretched  north  and  west  as  far 
as  the  eye  could  reach.  Coming  suddenly  from  the  forest 
to  the  edge  of  the  ridge  near  a  small  pond,  I  was  astounded 
at  the  marvellous  numbers  of  game.  Antelopes  and  zebras 
were  literally  in  thousands,  and  yet  a  more  barren,  dusty 
plain  can  hardly  be  conceived.  This  place  is  known  as 
Maragoa  Kanga,  or  Guinea  Fowl  Camp,  a  sad  misnomer,  as 
not  a  specimen  of  these  birds  was  to  be  seen. 

We  here  got  into  communication  with  the  Masai  once 
more,  and  I  could  not  but  express  my  admiration  at  the  cool 
manner  in  which  three  or  four  elders  came  into  camp  without 
a  trace  of  fear,  though  their  people  had  been  murdering  the 
traders  time  after  time,  till  they  succeeded  in  blocking  the 
road  altogether.  Indeed,  only  the  previous  year  they  had 
set  upon  a  caravan  going  to  Taveta  from  U-kambani,  near 
the  Kyulu  mountains,  in  the  dead  of  night,  and  stabbed 
forty  porters  without  the  slightest  provocation.  And  now 
here  were  members  of  the  same  clan  visiting  us  with  all  the 
dignity  of  lords  of  the  creation,  knowing  full  well  that 
no  retaliation  would  be  attempted.  They  were  magnificent 
specimens  of  their  race,  considerably  over  six  feet,  and  with 
an  aristocratic  savage  dignity  that  filled  me  with  admiration. 
After  the  calm,  formal  salutation  of  their  tribe,  they  began 
to  detail  with  great  minuteness  how  guns  had  been  heard . 
from  their  kraal,  and,  imagining  that  the  Wa-kamba  had 
attacked  them,  they  had  come  out  to  reconnoitre  ;  how  they 
had  at  last  come  across  our  track,  and  found  that  it  was  a 
caravan,  though  they  had  been  greatly  puzzled  by  footprints 
such  as  they  had  not  seen  before  (alluding  to  mine).  They 
then  lightly  touched  upon  the  causes  of  the  road  being 
blocked  so  long,  as  if  these  had  been  little  trivialities  not 
worth  mentioning.  They  must  not  be  too  hard  upon  their 
young  warriors  if  they  broke  out  on  the  loose  a  little,  and 
stabbed  a  few  porters  to  taste  blood  and  keep  their  hand 
in  !  "  Boys  will  be  boys,"  and  "  their  wdd  oats  must  be 
sown,"  was  the  defence  of  the  greybeards.  And  now  they 
were  glad  to  see  the  traders  again,  as  they  were  running  short 


156  Through  Masai  Land. 

of  iron  wire,  beads  and  chains  for  their  young  women.  Of 
course  a  suitable  reply  was  made  to  this  harangue.  The 
elders  were  told  where  we  were  going.  They  were  assured 
that  we  desired  peace,  and  were  prepared  to  forget  the  past ; 
only  they  were  clearly  to  understand  that  we  were  quite 
prepared  to  revenge  ourselves  if  blood  was  shed.  Moreover, 
our  caravan  had  come  provided  with  a  powerful  white  lybon 
(Masai  for  medicine-man),  who  could  with  the  greatest  ease 
devastate  the  land  with  famine  and  disease  ;  so  let  them 
beware  how  they  provoked  us  !  Various  speakers  took  part 
in  the  debate,  Avhich  from  first  to  last  was  carried  on  with 
astonishing  gravity  and  dignity. 

We  learned,  to  our  relief  and  delight,  that  the  warriors  of 
the  whole  of  j^jiri,  as  far  indeed  as  Matumbato,  had  left  on 
cattle  forays  to  TJ-kambani,  the  coast,  and  Kavirondo.  This 
was  indeed  good  news,  as  it  would  save  us  a  world  of  trouble 
and  annoyance,  not  to  speak  of  the  enormous  economy  in 
goods,  as  the  larger  part  of  the  black  mail  goes  to  the 
warriors. 

Our  course  for  the  next  few  days  lay  over  a  great  plain 
called  j^jiri,  which  bore  on  the  face  of  it  abundant  evidence 
to  shoAv  that  formerly  it  had  been  the  bed  of  a  great  lake. 
Lying  at  an  elevation  of  3300  feet,  it  extends  in  an  almost 
unbroken  level  from  Kilimanjaro  in  the  south  to  Matumbato 
in  the  north,  and  from  the  Kyulu  mountains  in  the  east 
to  the  hills  of  the  Guaso  N'Ebor  (White  Eiver)  on  the  west. 
Since  leaving  Mombasa,  I  have  had  occasion  to  describe  many 
varieties  of  scenery  ;  the  pretty  hill-country  of  Eabai ;  the 
undulations  of  Duruma,  with  their  dense  covering  of  bush 
and  tangle,  the  ghastly  desert  of  the  N'yika ;  the  mountains 
» -of  Teita ;  the  forest  paradise  of  Taveta ;  the  magnificent 
■'  panorama  from  Chaga ;  and  the  prairie-land  of  Sigirari  and 
J^gare  N'Erobi.  These  all  present  very  distinct  features, 
and  it  might  well  have  been  supposed  that  in  such  an 
enumeration  I  had  exhausted  the  varieties  of  scenery  to  be 
found  in  this  restricted  region.  Such,  however,  is  not  the 
case.  In  the  plain  of  I^jiri  we  have  a  spectacle  which  in 
certain  aspects  is  as  impressive  as  Kilimanjaro  itself,  though 
the  mountain  adds  to  the  solemnity  of  the  effect  as  it  towers 
heavenward. 

Conceive  yourself  standing  in  the  centre  of  the  plain.  In 
your  immediate  vicinity  there  is  not  a  blade  of  grass  to  relieve 
the  barren  aspect  of  the  damp  muddy  sand,  which,  impreg- 
nated with  various  salts,  is  unfavourable  to  the  growth  of 


.# 


Is 


158  Through  Masai  Land. 

any  vegetation.  Here  and  there,  however,  in  the  horizon 
are  to  be  detected  a  few  sheets  of  water,  surrounded  by  rings 
of  green  grass,  and  a  few  straggling  trees  or  scrubby  bushes. 
Other  green  joatches  of  tall  waving  sedges  and  papyrus  mark 
the  position  of  various  marshes.  These  ponds  and  marshes 
indicate  springs  of  fresh  water,  which  here  well  forth,  loaded 
with  salts  in  solution,  to  deposit  their  burden  on  the  evapora- 
tion of  the  water.  Beside  these,  there  extend  considerable 
tracts  covered  with  a  pure  white  crust  of  natron  and  salt- 
petre, formed  by  the  efflorescence  of  the  salts  left  by  the 
dried-up  marshes  of  the  wet  season.  These  areas  appear  to 
the  eye  as  sheets  of  pure  white  snow  or  lakes  of  charmingly 
clear  water.  At  other  times,  struck  by  the  rays  of  the  sun, 
they  shine  Avith  the  dazzling  splendour  of  burnished  silver. 
A  weird  haze  envelopes  the  land  with  an  influence  shadowy 
and  ghostly,  while  the  mirage  adds  to  the  strange  effects, 
till  indeed  everything  seems  unreal  and  deceptive.  The 
exceptional  nature  of  the  sight  is  emphasized  by  the 
stupendous  mass  of  Kilimanjaro,  the  pyramidal  form  of 
Meru,  the  double  peak  of  Ndapduk,  and  the  dark  height  of 
Donyo  Erok,  which  are  all  faintly  traceable  through  the 
dull  grey  sheen.  In  spite  of  the  desolate  and  barren  aspect 
of  the  country,  game  is  to  be  seen  in  marvellous  abun- 
dance. The  giraffe,  fit  denizen  of  such  a  region,  appears 
against  the  horizon  like  some  unearthly  monster,  or  browses 
among  the  trees  and  bushes.  The  wildebeest,  imp-like  and 
fierce  in  appearance,  frisks  with  uncouth  movements,  or 
speeds  with  stiff,  ungainly  gallops  across  the  natron  plain. 
Zebras  in  long  lines  pace  leisurely  along  from  some  distant 
pasture-ground.  Hyenas  slink  home  from  their  meal  of 
carrion.  Lions  satisfied  with  the  night's  venture  express 
their  sense  of  rei^letion  with  reverberating  roars.  The 
inquiry  that  naturally  rises  to  one's  mind  is.  How  can  such 
enormous  numbers  of  large  game  live  in  this  extraordinary 
desert  1  A  curious  illusion  is  produced  by  the  damp,  heated 
air  rising  from  the  sands.  This  gives  a  marvellously  beau- 
tiful waving  motion  to  the  black-and-white  stripes  of  the 
zebra,  which  seem  to  quiver  up  and  down  Avith  an  effect 
not  unlike  the  well-known  electric  advertisements.  As  we 
stand  in  this  phantom  plain,  awestruck  with  the  impressive 
sjiectacle,  the  haze  gradually  thickens  in  the  distance,  and 
eclipses  the  smaller  mountains.  Then  a  morning  breeze 
laden  with  moisture  from  the  sea  touches  the  peak  of  Kima- 
wenzi,  and,  cooled  by  its  influence,  leaves  a  cloud.     Passing 


The  Njiei  Plain.  159 

across  to  Kibo,  it  enshrouds  it  in  a  winding-sheet  of  stratus. 
In  a  little  while  the  mountain  wholly  disappears  from  view 
like  the  "  baseless  fabric  of  a  vision." 

It  is  very  probable  that  the  lake  which  formerly  existed 
here  supplied  the  necessary  element  to  generate  the  volcanic 
forces  which  built  up  Kilimanjaro,  these  having  doubtless 
become  extinct  coincidently  with  the  silting  up  or  more  pro- 
bably the  desiccation  of  the  lake.  I  have  already  adverted 
to  the  extraordinary  fact  that  not  a  single  stream  descends 
from  the  mountain  on  this  side  (for  we  are  now  in  the 
northern  aspect).  The  only  signs  of  any  communication  with 
the  snows  of  Kibo  are  the  numerous  springs  which  well  up 
here  and  there  on  the  plain,  and  form  various  marshes  and 
I)onds,  in  which  are  to  be  found  mud-fish  and  hippopotamus. 
These  have  no  outlet,  and  evaporation  alone  seems  to 
preser\'e  the  balance. 

In  crossing  Xjiri  our  men  ran  absolutely  out  of  food,  and 
would  have  starved,  but  for  my  exertions  with  the  rifle.  In 
the  course  of  three  days  I  shot,  while  on  the  march,  three 
zebras,  three  rhinoceroses,  four  pallah,  and  one  waterbuck, 
two  jackals  and  several  giiinea  fowl.  On  one  occasion,  when 
I  was  carefully  stalking  some  hartebeest,  creeping  up  behind 
a  bimch  of  grass,  I  got  a  fearful  scare  by  nearly  falling  over 
a  leopard,  which,  equally  intent  on  watching  the  game,  was 
unaware  of  my  approach.  With  a  startled  snarl  it  turned, 
and  displayed  a  set  of  teeth  in  dreadful  array.  I  thought 
it  was  upon  me  as  I  stumbled  back  in  my  surprise.  For- 
tunately, it  did  not  follow  up  its  advantage,  and  before  I 
recovered  myself  and  brought  my  gun  to  bear,  it  was  out  of 
sight. 

On  the  17  th  of  August  we  camped  at  a  salt-water  pond,  in 
which,  however,  water  of  a  drinkable  nature  welled  up.  At 
this  place  for  the  first  time  we  came  upon  the  I^Iasai  in  some 
numbers.  The  scene  that  met  our  eye  here  was  one  which 
reminded  me  greatly  of  the  descriptions  given  of  Somali  or 
Galla  Land,  as  the  large  herds  of  fine  cattle  came  down  to 
this  pond  to  drink,  attended  by  a  few  old  men,  women,  and 
boys.  It  was  wonderful  to  see  the  fearless  and  insolent 
manner  in  which  even  small  boys  hustled  our  porters  from 
the  water,  and  made  them  stand  out  of  the  way  till  they  had 
finished,  and  equally  surprising  to  see  the  meek  and  patient 
way  in  which  these  indignities  were  submitted  to  by  the 
porters,  men  who  in  other  places  are  accustomed  to  lord  it, 
and  to  see  the  Wa-shenzi   (wild-men,  the  terms   used   to 


160  Through  Masai  Land. 

designate  all  up-country  natives,)  cringe  in  terror  before  their 
high  and  mighty  presence. 

Though  there  were  only  a  number  of  elders  here,  we  had 
nevertheless  to  pay  14  senenges,  4  cloths,  and  150  strings 
of  beads.  I  contrived  by  a  little  dexterity  to  photograph 
some  Masai  women,  though  thereby  I  came  dangerously 
near  raising  a  serious  row,  as  it  was  supposed  I  was  bewitch- 
ing them.  Marabout  storks  were  seen  at  this  place  in 
considerable  numbers,  along  with  vultures,  kites,  &c.,  which 
kept  about  the  camp,  looking  for  offal  and  garbage.  My 
shooting  one  of  the  storks  was  the  occasion  of  a  great 
clamour.  These  birds  are  looked  upon  as  sacred,  they 
being,  along  with  the  vultures  and  the  hyenas,  the  grave- 
diggers,  or  rather  indeed  the  graves,  of  the  Masai — for  these 
people  simply  throw  out  their  dead  to  be  devoured. 

My  theodolite  also  had  to  be  laid  aside.  Its  portentous 
appearance  and  strangely  intricate  mechanism  were  looked 
upon  with  such  feelings  of  alarm  by  the  people  that  they 
made  a  hostile  demonstration,  and  threatened  to  have  it 
destroyed.  Manifestly  if  I  continued  to  use  the  instrument, 
it  must  be  at  the  risk  of  my  life.  I  was  most  reluctant  to 
yield,  but  I  saw  that  I  must  needs  make  a  virtue  of  necessity  ; 
more  especially  as  Jumba  and  the  traders  besought  me  not  to 
run  myself  and  them  into  the  danger  of  having  the  road  closed 
to  us. 

I  was  very  much  surprised  to  see  that  as  night  came  on  all 
the  men  retired  to  their  kraals,  though  considerable  numbei"s 
of  the  women  remained  in  camp,  a  proceeding  that  did  not 
seem  to  elicit  the  slightest  remark  from  the  men.  During 
the  night  hyenas  and  lions  kept  up  an  incessant  disturbance. 
They  approached  so  close  that  their  forms  could  be  quite 
clearly  distingaished  in  the  darkness. 

Next  day  we  resumed  our  march.  A  couple  of  hours  on 
our  way  we  found  the  ground  beginning  to  rise  in  elevation, 
and  then  we  discovered  an  outcrop  of  red  gneissic  rock  with 
a  northerly  strike  and  almost  vertical  dip.  It  was  clear  that 
we  had  once  more  Isft  the  area  of  volcanic  eruptions  of  which 
Kilimanjaro  is  the  centre,  and  re-entered  the  metamorphic 
formation.  Coincidently  there  was  of  course  a  change  of 
soil  and  a  return  to  the  vegetable  characteristics  of  the 
Nyika. 

At  sunset  we  camped  without  water  at  a  deserted  Masai 
kraal. 

Starting  before  sunrise  next  day,  we  rounded  a  ridge,  and 


New  Pbecautions  necessary. 


161 


entered  the  smail  plain  of  the  Ngare  na  Lala  (broad  or 
marshy  water)  which  rises  on  the  southern  aspect  of  Donyo 
Erok  (black  mountain)  and,  after  spreading  out  in  a  marshy 
reach,  disappears  in  the  desert.  Donyo  Erok  is  an  imposing 
mass  of  mountain  rising  with  very  great  abruptness  on  the 
south  and  falling  away  northward.  Ndapduk,  which  is  here 
seen  to  the  east,  is  a  more  picturesque  pile  formed  of  two 
peaks.  The  rocks  of  both  are  graphic  granite,  gneiss  and 
schists. 

We  had  now  entered  the  most  dangerous  part  of  the 
Masai  country,  and  it  consequently  behoved  us  to  be  con- 
tinually on  our  guard.     The  very  strongest  of  Ix/maa  had  to 


HASAI   WOMEN   OF   KJIBI. 


(Faces  painted.) 


be  formed,  guards  appointed,  no  one  allowed  to  pass  out 
singly  or  unarmed,  or  to  go  any  distance  from  camp. 
Fortunately  there  were  hardly  any  El-moran  or  warriors 
about,  so  that  upon  the  whole  we  were  not  greatly  annoyed. 
"VYe  had,  however,  to  stay  here  several  days,  as  it  was  necessary 
for  the  traders  to  buy  cattle  for  food,  and  donkeys  for  the 
carriage  of  their  provisions  and  ivory  in  returning.  They 
also  hoped  to  pick  up  a  few  tusks,  as  no  caravan  had  visited 
the  place  for  some  time.  The  competition  for  donkeys  among 
the  traders  was  a  never-ending  source  of  amusement  to  me. 
How  each  one  poured  "  soft  sawder  "  into  the  ears  of  the  nut- 

M 


162  Through  Masai  Land. 

brown  Masai  ladies  and  persuasively  slipped  rich  coloured 
beads  or  line  chains  into  their  hands  as  he  strove  to  persuade 
them  to  bring  donkeys  to  him  and  no  other  !  And  then  what 
a  race  would  ensue  if  one  of  these  venerable  animals  was 
seen  in  the  distance !  How  the  traders  would  buckle  up 
their  skirts,  and,  forgetful  of  years  or  grey  hairs,  tear  out 
pell-mell,  each  one  shouting  to  the  owner  to  keep  it  for  him, 
as  they  exhibited  rich  gifts  or  preliminary  douceurs,  the 
acceptance  of  which  settled  who  was  to  have  the  first  chance  ! 
If  the  owner  showed  signs  of  hesitation,  then  would  come 
the  supreme  scramble.  Some  would  seize  the  rope  which 
held  the  donkey,  and  fight  for  possession.  Others  would  lay 
violent  hands  upon  the  creature's  ears,  or  add  fresh  ignominy 
to  its  humble  lot  by  grasping  its  caudal  appendage.  The 
owner  himself,  cut  off  from  his  property,  would  be  bewildered 
by  a  crowd  deafening  him  with  yells  of  "  Shore  !  shore  ! " 
(friend,  friend),  and  beseeching  him  to  do  them  the  favour 
of  accepting  the  small  tokens  of  their  esteem  in  the  shape  of 
beads,  which  they  would '  throw  over  his  neck,  or  put  on  his 
arm,  or  try  to  enclose  in  his  hand.  In  my  own  quiet  way 
I  cajoled  a  daughter  of  the  celebrated  lybon  Mbaratien  into 
bringing  me  a  donkey ;  and  so  completely  had  I  won  her 
heart  by  my  pretty  speeches  (though  unfortunately  they  lost 
much  of  their  savour  in  passing  through  an  interpreter)  that 
she  actually  wanted  to  make  me  a  present  of  it. 

Cattle  came  in  very  slowly  and  sold  at  enormous  prices, 
and  then  so  lazy  were  both  Muhinna  and  Sadi  that  we  might 
"have  starved  if  we  had  had  to  depend  on  their  exertions. 

From  the  moment  of  joining  the  Pangani  caravan,  I  had 
made  a  great  friend  of  a  trader  named  Al  Ileri.  He  was  a 
Masai  by  birth,  and  had  been  stolen  as  a  boy  and  brought  up 
as  a  slave  at  the  coast,  but  had  gradually  risen  to  the  position 
of  a  trusted  trader.  His  Masai  name  was  Kombo-Ngishu, 
meaning  the  owner  of  many  cattle.  This  man  proved  to  be 
of  great  use  to  me,  and  along  with  his  confrere  Moran, 
another  Masai  trader,  made  me  for  the  time  quite  independent 
of  my  guides,  besides  giving  me  no  end  of  information 
about  their  countrymcTi. 

Matters,  however,  were  getting  rather  bad,  and  the  men 
were  already  on  short  commons,  so  I  had  to  make  up  my 
mind  to  a  new  hunting  expedition.  I  shot  round  the  base 
of  Donyo  Erok,  and  on  my  return  I  could  point  to  the 
marvellous  "  bag "  of  four  rhinoceroses,  one  giraffe,  four 
zebras,  and  four  antelopes,  all  of  which  had  fallen  to  my  own 


Risks  incbeasing.  163 

rifle  within  six  hours.  This  will  give  the  reader  an  idea  of 
the  extraordinary  numbers  and  variety  of  the  big  game  of 
this  region.  We  saw  also  some  buffalo  and  numerous  foot- 
prints of  elephant*.  On  the  same  day  a  coast  elephant- 
himter  shot  one  of  the  latter,  which  I  saw.  It  measured  ten 
feet  two  inches  at  the  shoulders,  and  the  two  tusks  weighed 
little  short  of  200  pounds'  weight.  My  daj-^s  shooting  saved 
us  at  least  more  than  a  load  of  goods,  and  kept  my  own  men 
and  half  the  Pangani  caravan  in  food  for  several  days. 

Two  days  after  this  I  ascended  Donyo  Erok,  which  at  its 
highest  point  will  be  very  nearly  6000  feet.  I  saw  several 
eland,  and  shot  two.  I  also  met  with  a  species  of  hornless 
antelope  (called  by  the  Wa-swahili  Ndope)  which  I  had 
never  seen  before,  and  have  only  once  seen  since.  I  found 
that  the  upper  part  of  the  mountain  was  covered  with  fine 
pasturage,  on  which  the  Masai  grazed  their  herds.  Some 
parts,  however,  were  clad  with  forest. 

On  the  2-tth  of  August,  having  completed  our  purchases, 
we  resumed  our  march,  though  not  tiU  the  fifth  hour,  as 
Jumba  had  discovered  by  his  art  that  it  would  be  bad  to 
start  before  that  time.  The  interval  was  enlivened  with  a 
bloodthirsty  quarrel  between  Martin  and  Makatubu,  in  which 
the  hot  southern  blood  of  the  former  and  the  unbalanced 
temper  of  the  latter  got  quite  the  better  of  them.  Makatubu 
drew  his  revolver,  and  the  fracas  would  probably  have 
reached  an  unpleasant  crisis,  had  I  not  captured  Martin,  and 
oitJered  Brahim  and  others  to  bind  up  the  other  combatant. 
I  am  glad  to  say  that  matters  were  soon  squared,  and  such 
a  quarrel  did  not  occur  again.  Makatubu's  act  served 
however,  to  show  what  even  the  very  best  native  servants  are 
capable  of.  I  have  no  doubt  he  would  have  shot  Martin  if 
he  had  not  been  promptly  secured. 

Our  way  now  lay  almost  due  north  along  the  eastern 
aspect  of  Donyo  Erok,  through  a  very  barren  tract  covered 
with  a  dense  and  forbidding  acacia  forest  The  Masai 
became  more  and  more  numerous,  and  now  included  lart^e 
numbers  of  warriors,  a  fact  which  necessitated  great  care  in 
our  movements.  After  a  short  march  we  camped  at  a  small 
stream,  Xgare  Kidenoi,  where  the  last  caravan  that  had 
passed  had  been  nearly  annihilated.  The  district  is  called 
Matumbato,  and  the  Masai  inhabiting  it  are  by  far  the 
weakest-looking  specimens  of  their  race  I  had  yet  seen. 
They  nearly  all  squinted,  a  peculiarity  which  often  gave  the 
most  villainous  of  expressiolis  to  their  faces.     Flies  and  dust 

M  2 


164  Through  Masai  Land. 

were  the  distinguishing  features  of  the  country,  and  perhaps 
this  may  to  some  extent  account  for  tlie  squinting. 

Thieving  or  attempts  to  thieve  were  now  of  hourly  occur- 
rence. A  warrior  would  in  the  most  unexpected  way  make  a 
desperate  dash  at  a  porter's  load  on  the  march,  and  try  to 
carry  it  off;  or  in  the  very  centre  of  the  caravan 
would  pick  up  an  unguarded  article,  and  make  for  the  open. 
These  attempts  rarely  succeeded ;  but  it  was  very  amusing 
to  notice  the  subdued  and  almost  deferential  way  in  which 
the  traders  submitted  to  these  annoyances.  It  was  a  strin- 
gent rule  that  no  attempt  was  to  be  made  to  punish  the  thief 
when  caught.  The  stolen  article  was  simply  taken  possession 
of,  and  the  thief  allowed  to  move  on,  feeling  what  annoyance 
he  might  at  the  laughter  of  his  companions  or  jeers  of  the 
porters  at  his  failure.  Such  attempts  almost  wore  the  air  of 
friendly  contests, — activity,  strength  and  daring  on  the  one 
hand,  versus  vigilance  and  numbers  on  the  other,  nothmg 
being  allowed  to  disturb  the  good-humour  of  either  party. 

At  Ngarc  Kidenoi  I  had  to  pose  incessantly  as  agreatlybon 
or  medicine-man  with  the  power  of  life  and  death  in  my 
hands — a  position  which  secured  me  from  much  annoyance 
and  trouble,  though  of  that  I  had  quite  enough.  This 
reputation  often  placed  me  in  most  comical  and  embarrassing 
positions.  One  day,  for  instance,  an  aristocratic  and  wealthy 
old  Masai  appeared  with  a  young  and  very  pretty  wife. 
Tipping  me  the  wink  (a  la  INIasai),  he  called  Sadi,  and  then 
let  me  luiow  he  had  something  of  importance  to  say.  Won- 
dering what  was  in  the  wind,  I  politely  invited  him  into  my 
tent,  and  closed  the  door.  The  old  gentleman  looked  im- 
portant, the  young  lady  bashful  and  simpering,  Sadi  smiled, 
and  I  began  to  feel  uneasy  and  to  wonder  if  the  Masai  was 
thinking  of  bestowing  his  wife  on  me.  He  then  informed 
me  that  he  had  been  immensely  struck  by  my  personal 
appearance,  was  delighted  with  my  colour,  and,  speaking  for 
his  wife,  he  might  say  that  she  was  simply  charmed  with 
me.  Here  it  may  be  imagined  we  mutually  blushed  as  we 
exchanged  glances.  Having  no  secrets,  they  had  confessed 
to  each  other  their  personal  admiration  of  me,  and  agreed 
that  it  would  be  quite  too  delightful  to  have  a  little  white 
boy  who  would  be  a  counterpart  of  me.  Thereupon  they  had 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  as  I  was  a  great  lybon,  capable  of 
anything,  it  would  be  a  simple  matter  for  me  to  give  them  a 
medicine  which  would  secure  the  required  result. 

It  may  well  be  supposed  that  I  was  immensely  tickled 


FlATTEEING,    DDT   EMBARRASSING  !  165 

by  this  extraordinary  request ;  but  I  so  far  contrived  to  keep 
my  countenance  as  to  reply  to  the  old  gentleman  with  all 
due  gravity.  I  explained  that  such  things  were  out  of  my 
power,  that  that  was  entirely  in  the  hands  of  "  Xgai,"  and 
that  to  him  he  must  pray  for  such  a  blessing  as  a  little  white 
boy.  The  old  gentleman  did  not  quite  "  see  it,"  and  as  he 
looked  sceptical,  and  the  lady  examined  with  much  interest 
her  toes,  I  became  fidgety.  The  reply  was  that  it  was  good 
to  do  as  I  suggested,  but  that  in  a  case  of  this  nature  they 
had  more  faith  in  me.  They  had  bullocks  and  donkeys  to 
bestow  upon  me  if  I  consented  ;  but  if  I  didn't,  he  would  con- 
sider that  I  was  a  bad  man,  and  he  was  certain  that  his  wife 
would  never  forgive  me.  The  position  was  getting  too 
ridiculous,  and  at  last  I  consented  to  spit  upon  them,  which 
I  did  most  vigorously  and  liberally,  my  saliva  being  supposed 
to  have  sovereign  virtues.  Quite  delighted  and  honoured  at 
the  singular  "  unction,"  they  brightened  up  considerably, 
though  still  desirous  of  having  some  special  medicine.  At 
last,  wearied  with  their  pertinacity,  and  being  far  from  well 
at  the  time,  I  brewed  some  Eno's  fruit  salt  as  a  specific 
warranted  not  to  faiL  They  drank  the  effervescing  liquid 
with  eager  expectation,  yet  in  fear  and  trembling.  They 
still  seemed,  however,  to  have  some  lingering  doubts 
whether  the  coveted  result  was  a  certainty.  Unfortunately 
I  had  not  one  of  Eno's  pamphlets  about  me  at  that  time,  or 
doubtless  I  should  have  proved  to  their  entire  satisfaction 
that  it  had  never  been  known  to  fail  in  producing  even  more 
astonishing  effect*,  as  was  amply  certified  by  the  various 
testimonials.  Having  then  once  more,  with  all  good  will, 
spat  upon  them  all  over,  I  politely  showed  them  the  door, 
after  bestowing  some  nice  beads  on  my  charming  friend  in 
trust  for  the  prospective  white  baby.  Bidding  them  good- 
bye, I  returned  to  my  tent,  and  let  out  my  surcharged  feelings 
by  a  few  steps  of  a  Scotch  dance  and  sundry  screams  of  con- 
vulsive laughter,  greatly  to  the  bewilderment  of  Songoro, 
who  thought  I  had  gone  mad. 

The  coimtry  we  traversed  on  leaving  Xgare  Kidenoi 
became  more  and  more  broken  and  barren,  with  the  nume- 
rous small  isolated  peaks  of  Mbarasha  on  our  left.  "Water 
was  only  obtained  by  digging  deep  in  the  dried-up  beds  of 
streams.  Hardly  a  blade  of  green  grass  was  to  be  seen  to 
relieve  the  red,  glaring  soil,  and  it  was  a  continual  source  of 
wonder  to  see  the  enormous  numbers  of  cattle  which  in  some 
way  or  other  found  sustenance. 


166  Through  Masai  Land. 

It  may  be  here  remarked,  that  round  about  the  base  of 
Donyo  Erok  is  one  of  the  few  districts  where  Masai  are 
always  to  be  found,  water  in  the  lowlands  being  so  scarce,  and 
the  rainfall  so  small,  that  they  are  compelled  to  desert  them 
in  the  dry  season,  and  migrate  to  the  higlaer  plateau  regions  or 
mountain  ranges.  Water,  however,  being  found  throughout 
the  year  at  several  small  streams  which  descend  from  Donyo 
Erok,  the  Masai  are  enabled  to  live  always  near  it,  though 
even  here  the  greater  number  migrate  to  better  pasturage. 

At  this  time  our  sole  food  was  beef,  game  being  extremely 
difficult  to  get  at.  We  were  compelled  to  buy  three 
bullocks  per  day.  This  was  no  easy  matter  to  do  in  com- 
petition with  the  Pangani  traders,  who  were  capable  of  any 
meanness,  and  were  tlioroughly  up  in  the  ways  of  trading, 
which  none  of  my  men  were,  except  Sadi  and  Muhinna,  both, 
of  whom  Avere  the  personification  of  laziness  and  gluttony. 
I  had  to  depend  greatly  upon  Kombo-JSTgishu  and  Moran, 
than  whom  there  were  not  better  men  in  the  entire  caravan. 
The  buying,  moreover,  was  an  exhausting  labour,  no  bxillock 
being  secured  under  an  hour  to  two  hours  of  haggling  and 
debate,  on  the  general  lines  which  rule  all  such  business 
operations.  The  final  seal  was  put  on  the  bargain  by  the 
Masai  spitting  upon  his  bullock,  and  my  men  doing  the 
same  on  the  senenge  and  beads.  Once  that  was  performed 
not  another  word  passed  on  the  subject. 

Spitting,  it  may  be  remarked,  has  a  very  different  signi- 
fication with  the  Masai  from  that  which  prevails  with  us 
or  with  most  African  tribes.  With  them  it  expresses  the 
greatest  good-will  and  the  best  of  wishes.  It  takes  the  place 
of  the  compliments  of  the  season,  and  you  had  better  spit 
upon  a  damsel  than  kiss  her.  You  spit  when  you  meet,  and 
you  do  the  same  on  leaving.  You  seal  your  bargain  in  a 
similar  manner.  As  I  was  a  lybon  of  the  first  Avater,  the 
Masai  flocked  to  me  as  pious  catholics  would  do  to  springs 
of  healing  virtue,  and  with  the  aid  of  occasional  draughts  of 
water  I  was  e(|ual  to  the  demand.  The  more  copiously  I 
spat  upon  them,  tlie  greater  was  their  delight ;  and  with 
pride  they  would  retail  to  their  friends  how  the  white 
medicine-man  honoured  them,  and  would  point  Avith  the 
greatest  satisfaction  to  the  ocular  proof  of  the  agreeable  fact. 
It  was  certainly  rather  drying  work  for  me  when  I  had  a 
large  number  to  operate  upon,  and  I  required  the  aid  of 
bullets  and  stones  in  my  mouth  to  stimulate  the  production 
of  the  precious  fluid.     However,  their  simple  faith  in  the 


DfiYiNG  Work  !  167 

eflficacy  of  it  made  me  suppress  my  feeliBgs,  and  give  them 
the  pleasure.  How  could  I,  for  instance,  resist  the  upturned 
face  of  a  Masai  "  ditto  "  (unmarried  young  woman),  as  with 
her  bright  eyes  she  would  look  the  wish  she  longed  to  utter ; 
and  what  better  reward  could  I  have  than  the  delighted 
glance  of  the  nut-brown  maid  when  I  expectorated  upon  the 
little  snub  nose  so  eagerly  and  piquantly  presented  1 

At  a  place  called  Seki  an  incident  occurred  which 
strikingly  illustrated  the  cool  and  daring  character  of  the 
Masai  warriors.  One  of  these  had  had  a  donkey  stolen  and 
sold  to  one  of  our  party.  Recognizing  his  property,  this 
warrior  called  up  his  friends,  and  proceeded,  without  further 
ado,  to  lay  violent  hands  upon  the  animal.  In  a  moment  the 
cry  of  "  Bimduki !  bunduki !  "  (Guns !  )  was  raised,  and  in  a 
surprisingly  short  time  between  four  and  five  hundred 
porters  streamed  out  of  camp  armed  with  guns,  and  formed 
a  circle  round  the  disputants.  Such  a  demonstration,  in  any 
other  part  of  Africa  I  have  visited,  would  have  produced  a 
panic  among  the  natives  and  a  stampede.  Not  so  with  the 
Masai,  who  though  quite  a  small  party,  remained  as  cool  and 
indiiferent  as  if  they  were  quite  unaware  that  they  were 
surroimded.  The  only  effect  was  to  make  them  relinquish 
their  grasp  of  the  ass,  and  tone  doAvn  their  demands  for 
restitution.  An  orderly  and  calm  discussion  ensued,  and 
ended  with  an  arrangement  agreeable  to  both  parties. 

On  the  30th  of  August  we  reached  Becil,  and  camped 
near  a  low  range  of  hills,  beyond  which  could  be  descried 
the  Ulu  mountains  some  distance  off.  Before  we  camped, 
I  stiw  a  fight  between  two  rhinoceroses,  who  attacked 
each  other  in  the  manner  of  bulls.  One  at  last  gave  in  and 
fled,  while  the  other  followed  behind,  dealing  it  tremendous 
blows  in  the  rear,  which  actually  lifted  it  up  and  made  it 
squeal  out  like  a  pig.  In  the  chase  they  seemed  to  be 
quite  unaware  of  the  caravan  as  they  passed  close  ahead. 
The  victor,  having  driven  off  the  other  from  the  field,  turned 
its  attention  to  us,  and,  its  blood  being  up,  it  ch-arged  the 
caravan  with  fierce  and  defiant  air,  scattering  the  men  like  a 
flock  of  sheep,  though,  fortunately,  doing  no  d;image.  The 
episodes  of  this  evening  iuojuded  the  stealing  of  a  load  from 
the  midst  of  the  camp,  a  stabbing  case  1>etween  two  traders 
over  ivory,  and  a  goat  being  torn  out  of  camp  by  a  hyena 
during  the  night.  Becil  lies  at  an  altitude  of  4700  feet, 
and  forms  the  dividing  ground  between  Matumbato  to  the 
south,  and  Kapte  to  the  north. 


168  Through  Masai  Land. 

Leaving  Becil,  we  made  a  capital  march  north  to  the 
nullah  of  Turuku,  over  undulating  grazing-grounds,  com- 
paratively free  from  trees,  dotted  here  and  there  with  kraals, 
which,  however,  were  deserted,  owing  to  recent  raids  of 
Wa-kamba,  who  of  late  have  begun  to  assume  the  offensive 
and  to  make  reprisals  in  cattle-lifting  in  the  heart  of  the 
enemy's  country.  Near  camp  we  entered  a  gorge  which  led 
us  gently  down,  by  a  fine  road  formed  by  the  Masai  cattle, 
to  the  stream  of  Turuka.  We  here  noticed  that  the  tops  of 
the  hills  which  formed  the  gorge  were  capped  by  masses  of 
porphyritic  greenstone,  with  a  tendency  to  columnar  arrange- 
ment. The  metamorphic  rocks  here  disappear  at  a  very 
high  angle  beneath  the  lava,  and  the  gorge  presents  capital 
sections,  showing  the  relations  of  the  two  rocks. 

Leaving  this  camp,  we  descended  the  gorge,  and  in  the 
course  of  an  hour  we  emerged  on  a  great  desert,  which 
stretches  in  unbroken  monotony  away  to  the  hills  of 
Ngururaa-ni  and  Mosiro,  behind  which  tower  the  dark  and 
forbidding  mass  of  Mau —  the  escarpment  of  the  Guas'-JNTgishu 
highlands.  Looking '  east,  the  eye  sees  only  a  dark  and 
frowning  precipice  of  lava  rock,  running  wall-like  in  an 
almost  straight  line  north  and  south,  forming  in  fact  the 
counterpart  of  Mau.  These  together  mark  the  lines  of  two 
great  faults,  between  which  the  plain  that  lies  before  us  has 
sunk  to  its  present  level,  leaving  the  edges  of  Guas'-Ngishu 
and  Ivaptc  standing  out  in  bald  and  grim  massiveness.  The 
eastern  line  of  fault,  however,  is  diversified  by  numerous 
small  conical  hills,  which  even  a  distant  view  reveals  to  be 
of  volcanic  origin.  They  have  arisen  along  the  line  of 
weakness  formed  by  the  subsidence  of  the  ground,  this 
having  afforded  comparatively  easy  exit  to  the  imprisoned 
forces  which  have  built  up  the  hills.  Further  north  a  lateral 
range  of  picturesque  mountains  projects  from  the  escarpment 
Avestward.  The  desert  is  known  as  Dogilani,  and,  being  for 
the  most  part  destitute  of  water,  it  is  uninhabited  except  close 
to  the  base  of  the  mountains,  whence  small  streams  descend 
from  the  highlands,  and  permit  the  growth  of  grass.  The 
escarpment,  from  its  dark  and  forbidding  appearance,  is 
known  as  Donyo  Erok  el  Kapte  (Black  Mountain  of  Kapte). 
To  find  water  we  were  compelled  to  penetrate  far  into  the 
extremely  picturesque  gorge  of  Ngare  Sure,  which  is  several 
hundreds  of  feet  deep,  cut  through  the  lava  rock. 

Two  more  marches  brought  us  to  the  district  of  La  Doriac, 
which  strikingly  suggested  a  magnificent  bay  as  it  lay  flat 


EXASPEKATIKG    EXPEKIEXCES. 


169 


aud  even,  surrounded,  except  to  the  west,  by  a  splendid 
amphitheatre  of  mountains,  Donyo  Kisali  guanling  the 
entrance  on  one  side,  and  Donyo  Xyiro  on  the  other.  We 
here  camped  under  the  most  uncomfortable  circum- 
stances we  had  yet  experienced.  The  whole  country  was 
covered  with  wretched  angular  blocks,  guartled  by  the  most 
exasperating  of  "wait-a-bit"  thorns,  which  certainly  might 
make  one  dream  of  beds  of  luxurious  ease,  but  hardly  helped 
to  make  us  realize  the  charm  of  such  a  couch.     The  Masai 


G"i;:;::  ok  the   >gaue  sueh. 

were  in  extraordinary  numbers,  and  proportionately  insolent 
and  troublesome ;  while  astonishing  myriads  of  flies,  with 
characteristics  comparable  to  those  of  the  tribe  they  prey  on, 
made  life  a  burden,  and  the  fact  that  we  swallowed  no  end 
of  them  in  our  food  did  not  add  to  our  satisfaction.  In  spite 
of  two  boys  who  stood  over  us  at  our  meals,  I  verily  believe 
we  ate  more  of  these  pests  than  of  anything  else.  The  heat 
was  terrific,  and  the  natives  would  not  give  us  a  minute's 


170  Through  Masai  Land. 

rest,  in  spite  of  homas,  thorn  fences  round  the  tents,  and  a 
lot  of  guards.  The  Masai  stole  whatever  they  could  lay 
their  hands  on,  Makatubu  forgot  himself,  and  nearly 
precipitated  a  fight  by  firing  his  revolver  at  a  thief — fortu- 
nately without  any  damage,  otherwise  our  position  would 
have  been  serious.  Wild  bullocks  broke  loose,  and  ran 
amuck  through  the  camp,  knocking  down  tents,  men,  and 
whatever  came  in  their  Avay,  A  tremendous  clatter  filled 
the  air,  and  chaos  seemed  to  have  come  again. 

Leaving  this  i^lace  with  intense  relief,  we  ascended  the 
lateral  range  by  the  course  of  a  stream.  Crossing  the  sum- 
mit at  a  height  of  over  6000  feet,  we  entered  the  narrow 
valley  of  a  second  stream,  and  continued  along  its  sides  till, 
reaching  the  head,  we  descended  into  a  small  enclosed 
valley,  finally  camping  at  nightfall  near  the  base  of  a  Kapte 
mountain  named  Lamuyu.  On  the  way  I  shot  at  one  spot 
no  less  than  four  rhinoceroses.  It  was  really  glorious  fun  to 
see  one  of  these  brutes  scattering  the  caravan  before  I  gave 
it  its  quietus. 

During  the  night  the  men  had  a  bad  time  of  it.  Xo  fire- 
wood was  to  be  got,  and  rain  set  in  after  sunset,  while  the 
wind  blew  with  tremendous  fury  from  the  plateau,  utterly 
disheartening  the  weary  porters,  who  lay  exposed  to  its  fury. 
Fortunately  the  storm  lulled  about  midnight.  I,  however, 
had  to  take  pity  on  my  good  friend  Jumba,  and  give  him  one 
of  my  Austrian  blankets. 

iS'^obody  tliought  of  leaving  camp  till  a  late  hour  on  the 
following  day.  When  we  did  get  started,  we  continued  up 
to  the  north  end  of  the  valley,  where  we  found  a  disused 
Masai  cattle-road  leading  up  to  the  top  of  the  Kapte  plateau. 
The  view  that  met  the  gaze  at  the  edge  of  the  table-land  had 
more  the  general  aspect  of  a  European  scene  than  that  of 
Central  Africa.  A  grand  expanse  of  undulating  country  lay 
before  us,  the  hollows  knee-deep  in  rich  and  succulent" 
pasture,  in  which  peeped  forth  familiarly  the  homelike 
clover.  The  ridges  were  covered  with  trees  of  moderate 
size,  and  markedly  temperate  in  their  aspect,  though  splendid 
Cape  calodendrons  formed  an  unwonted  spectacle  with  their 
glorious  canopy  of  flowers.  The  interspaces  of  the  woodland 
were  filled  up  with  a  dense  mass  of  beaiitiful  and  fragrant 
flowering  shrubs  in  great  variety.  These  open  spaces  were 
the  haunts  of  large  herds  of  bulfalo,  and  the  feeding-ground 
of  numerous  elephants  and  rhinoceroses,  while  in  the  grassy 
reaches  could  be  seen  vast  numbers  of  elands,  hartebeests, 


A  Day's  Routine.  171 

zebras,  and  ostriches.  I  stalked  one  of  the  elands,  but  only 
succeeded  in  wounding  it.  I  was  more  successful  in  finishing 
a  sleeping  rhinoceros.  I  crept  up  to  it  with  the  customary 
precautions,  and  in  the  process  I  experienced  the  usual 
sensations  as  of  crawling  centipedes  about  my  spine,  a  wildly 
pulsating  heart,  a  feeling  of  sweating  blood,  staring  eyes, 
and  gasping  for  breath,  till  on  getting  into  actual  danger,  my 
nerves  became  braced  up,  and  my  muscles  like  iron.  \\Tien 
within  a  few  yards,  I  took  swift  and  silent  aim.  As  the 
report  echoed  with  startling  roar,  I  dropped  to  the  ground 
like  a  hare.  The  great  black  n?ass  instaiitly  became  animate. 
Jumping  up,  it  stared  wildly  round,  and  then  with  blood 
spouting  out  of  its  nostrils  like  water  from  a  fountain,  it  ran 
a  short  distance,  to  topple  over  dead.  It  had  been  shot  through 
the  lungs. 

After  this  feat,  an  hour  of  marching  brought  us  to  a  beau- 
tiful depression,  surrounded  by  wood-capped  ridges,  and 
enclosing  a  glorious  bubbling  fountain  of  clear,  cold  wat^r, 
which  formed  a  charming  pond  in  which  ducks  swam  and 
water-lilies  reclined  in  vernal  beauty.  This  was  ]S'gongo-a- 
Bagas,  the  "  eye  "  or  spring  of  the  Bagas,  one  of  the  chief 
head- waters  of  the  Athi  River  of  U-kambani.  A  second, 
of  greater  dimensions,  the  Xgare  Murju,  meets  the  Bagas  a 
little  to  the  east.  It  springs  up,  like  the  latter,  in  con- 
siderable volume  at  the  base  of  the  eastern  side  of  Donyo 
Lamuyu. 

Before  proceeding  further,  it  may  be  well  to  give  the  reader 
some  idea  of  the  routine  of  our  daily  life  here.  It  was  a 
recognized  and  invariable  rule  with  us  to  be  on  the  march  ere 
the  sim  passed  the  horizon.  At  the  earliest  indication  of 
dawn,  or  more  frequently  on  the  crowing  of  the  various 
chanticleers  carried  in  the  caravan,  we  tumbled  out  of  bed, 
dipped  our  faces  in  the  cool  water,  and  just  as  objects  became 
distinguishable,  we  were  seated  outside  at  breakfast,  while 
the  askari  pulled  down  the  tent,  folded  up  the  camp-bed,  and 
made  everything  ready  for  the  road.  Little  time  was  spent 
over  breakfast,  and  as  the  crimson  flush  of  mom  changed 
to  a  golden  gleam,  the  signal  to  start  was  given. 

I  myself  take  the  lead  with  the  advance-guard.  The  camp 
is  left  behind,  and  in  the  fresh  and  invigorating  morning  air 
we  hie  on  merrily.  The  men  at  this  stage  go  at  a  capital 
pace,  and  each  one  tries  in  friendly  rivalry  to  get  to  the  front. 
As  the  sun  ascends,  however,  their  enthusiasm  tones  down. 
The  weakly  and  the  lazy  begin  to  lag  behind,  and  soon  they 


1^^  Through  Masai  Land. 

are  to  be  seen  every  here  and  there  throwing  down  their 
loads,  either  to  rest  or  under  the  pretence  of  putting  some- 
thing to  rights.  Straggling,  however,  is  not  allowed,  and 
the  rest  is  of  the  most  temporary  character.  Each  one  Avell 
knows  that  to  be  caught  straying  alone  would  mean  speedy 
death  by  the  Masai  spear.  Martin  brings  up  the  rear  of  our 
section,  and  sees  that  all  is  well,  while  I  in  front  take  my 
bearings  and  other  observations,  and,  where  possible,  shoot 
rampant  rhinoceroses  or  buffaloes,  thus  at  one  and  the  same 
time  staving  off  a  danger  and  filling  the  pot.  It  is  a  thing 
thoroughly  suggestive  of  savagery  to  see  the  hungry  men  pre- 
cipitate themselves  like  voracious  hyenas  upon  the  game,  and 
with  slashing  knives  and  quarrelsome  tongues  try  to  [secure 
the  fat  or  the  tenderer  parts.  Cuts  are  not  uncommon,  and 
frequently  order  has  to  be  introduced  into  the  fighting  pack 
by  the  dread  uplifting  of  the  birch,  and  the  threat  that  is 
known  to  be  never  spoken  in  vain. 

Two  hours  after  leaving  camp  a  halt  is  called,  to  let  the 
long  file  of  men  close  up,  for  now  the  Masai  are  beginning  to 
issue  forth  with  the  warming  of  the  air.  On  all  sides  we  are 
greeted  with  "  Shore  !  shore  !  "  (friend).  In  my  case  I  am 
addressed  as  "  Lybon  !  "  (medicine-man),  to  which  I  reply  with 
an  inarticulate  sound,  signifying  I  am  all  attention.  "  Gusak  " 
(your  hand)  is  then  asked  for.  The  shaking  being  duly 
honoured,  a  further  stage  in  the  ceremonious  greeting  is  made 
by  the  salutation  "  Sobai  1 "  ("  How  do  you  do  1 "),  to  which 
I  answer  "  Ebai "  ("  I  am  well ").  Then  as  a  corollary  to  the 
ceremony,  the  visitor  follows  it  up  with  the  demand  "  Jogon  ? 
mashetan  ! ''  ("Do  you  hear?  a  string  of  beads  !")and  with- 
out dem.ur  a  string  of  beads  is  handed  forth  to  the  stalwart 
beggar.  With  more  pleasure,  of  course,  and  with  the  addi- 
tion of  a  smile,  we  greet  the  "  ditto  "  (unmarried  young 
Avoman),  who  is  saluted  in  different  words  from  those  suitable 
for  the  men — "  Tagwenya  !  "  the  reply  from  the  woman  being 
"  Eo !  "  Beyond  seeking  presents,  the  Masai  receive  us 
characteristically  with  aristocratic  dignity.  They  do  not,  as 
in  the  regions  further  south,  shrink  ofi:  in  alarm,  nor,  on  the 
other  hand,  run  alongside  with  rude  shouts  and  vulgar  laugh- 
ter. Calmly  they  survey  us,  curious  without  a  doubt,  but 
hiding  their  feelings  beneath  an  apparently  indifferent 
exterior. 

About  midday  the  place  selected  for  camping  is  reached. 
Each  trader  chooses  some  suitable  spot,  a  grand  rush  and 
scramble  being  made  for  the   ground  under  shady   trees  or 


174  Through  Masai  Land. 

other  desirable  places.  The  first  man  who  reaches  a  coveted 
locality  seals  his  claim  by  laying  down  his  gun  or  some  other 
article,  and  no  one  disputes  his  right.  Muhinna  was  first- 
class  at  this  work.  He  seemed  intuitively  to  know  the  most 
cosy  and  comfortable  corner,  and  had  a  knack  of  being  at  it 
always  first.  The  moment  every  one  is  into  camp,  the  goods 
of  each  trader  are  stacked  and  covered  over  with  skins  or 
some  other  article  to  hide  them  from  the  prying  eyes  and 
twitching  fingers  of  the  Masai.  Guards  are  then  appointed, 
and  without  loss  of  time  the  men  with  axe  and  gun  proceed 
to  cut  down  thorn  acacias  in  order  to  form  a  strong  homa 
or  fence.  The  gun  is  laid  near  for  any  emergency,  while 
with  vigorous  blows  the  axe  is  applied  to  the  stems,  and  soon 
the  trees  are  lying  ready  to  be  further  manipulated,  or 
dragged  with  resonant  chorus  by  bands  of  men  to  the  line 
marked  out.  Martin  superintends  that  duty  while  I  take  up 
my  position  beside  our  huge  pile  of  goods,  and  keep  a  watch- 
ful eye  upon  them  as  I  submit  myself  to  the  gaze  of  the 
natives,  and  refresh  myself  with  a  cup  of  coffee,  generally  in 
company  with  Jumba,  who  had  a  knack  of  turning  up  at 
such  moments. 

While  this  Avork  is  proceeding,  various  bands  of  El-moran 
appear  from  different  quarters,  resplendent  in  a  new  coating 
of  clay  and  grease,  carrying  great  spears,  which  flash  in  the 
rays  of  the  sun,  and  shields  newly  painted  in  the  heraldic 
devices  of  the  particular  clan  or  district.  When  near  the 
camp,  these  warriors  proceed  to  perform  a  variety  of  military 
evolutions,  Avliich  show  they  have  some  rudimentary  idea  of 
the  military  art,  and  of  the  value  of  discipline  and  working 
in  unison.  This  over,  they  gather  together,  strike  their  great 
spears  in  the  ground,  and  rest  their  shields  against  them, 
thereafter  indulging  in  an  extraordinary  dance.  A  warrior 
hops  a  few  steps  forward ;  then  with  rigid  body,  arms  held 
at  the  side,  and  unbending  knee,  he  jumps  straight  up  in  the 
air  a  nimiber  of  times,  indulging  occasionally  in  a  hitch  for- 
ward of  his  long  back  hair  over  his  face.  While  one  is  thus 
performing,  the  others,  with  the  most  serious  of  faces,  chant 
in  a  ludicrous  manner  a  song  of  welcome  (to  be  plundered  !). 
The  contortions  of  their  faces  and  their  intense  seriousness 
make  the  sight  comical  beyond  description. 

The  dance  over,  they  are  now  ready  to  proceed  to  business. 
The  principal  spokesmen  on  both  sides  first  exchange  elabo- 
rate salutations.  These  are  followed  by  a  prolonged  dis- 
cussion as  to  the  proper  amount  of  tribute  to  be  paid.     By 


Unwelcome  Visitors.  175 

the  time  the  hongo  question  is  finished,  the  fence  is  complete, 
and  we  are  safe  from  all  serious  danger,  though  our  annoy- 
ances are  only  about  to  commence.  The  tents  are  pitch^ 
and  a  second  fence  of  thorns  is  placed  round  them,  leaving 
only  a  small  opening.  This  is  guarded  by  two  askari,  who 
seek,  ^Wth  bland  manners  and  soothing  words,  to  mitigate  the 
horrors  of  a  Masai  invasion.  All  such  attempts  are,  as  a  rule 
in  vain,  for  no  one  dares  to  lay  a  hand  on  a  warrior  when  he 
is  determined  to  see  me  and  my  things.  With  the  greatest 
insolence  he  will  push  aside  the  guard,  swagger  with  the 
utmost  abandon  and  "  hail  fellow,  well  met ! "  kind  of  air 
into  my  sanctum,  and  bestow  his  odoriferous,  grease-clad 
person  on  my  bed,  or  whatever  object  suits  his  idea  of 
comfort.  Ceremonious  even  in  his  arrogance,  he  will  now 
greet  me,  and  then  demand  some  beads.  These  I  give  with 
the  greatest  alacrity,  in  the  hope  of  hastening  his  departtire. 
Finally,  after  I  have  exhibited  to  his  untutored  gaze  all  the 
marvels  of  my  person  and  tent,  he  may  be  cajoled  out,  leav- 
ing behind  him  various  unsavoury  tokens  of  his  presence. 
The  indignities  we  had  to  submit  to  are  simply  inconceivable. 
Though  a  warrior  had  tweaked  my  nose,  there  would  have 
been  no  redress ;  and  though  he  had  "  smitten  me  on  the 
right  cheek,"  I  shoxild  have  had  to  illustrate  with  sweet  literal- 
ness  the  somewhat  trying  Gospel  rale,  and  appear  smilingly 
willing  to  "  turn  to  him  the  other  also."  I  must  thank  my 
reputation  as  a  medicine-man  that  matters  did  not  come 
quite  to  this  pass.  But  from  morn  till  night  I  had  to  remain 
on  exhibition,  and  be  ever  ready  to  bestow  beads  upon  the 
warrior  beggars — for  a  denial  was  never  dreamt  of.  Xo  man 
dared  lay  aside  his  gun,  or  leave  a  single  object  exposed  to 
view.  It  was  only  in  large  numbers  that  they  could  go 
outside  to  draw  water  or  fetch  firewood-  The  camp  was  kept 
in  a  continual  turmoil,  heightened  every  now  and  then  by  a 
Masai  laying  violent  hands  upon  some  article  or  other,  in  the 
very  midst  of  the  camp,  and  rushing  with  it  towards  the  open. 
Thanks  to  our  precautions,  this  rarely  succeeded ;  but  then 
there  was  no  check  to  its  repetition,  as  nothing  could  be  done 
to  the  thief ;  he  could  not  even  be  safely  expelled  from  the 
camp. 

At  sunset  the  warriors  would  withdraw  to  their  kraals,  and 
a  sense  of  relief  would  begin  to  be  experienced.  The  gate 
would  be  blocked  up,  and  a  guard  set.  Guns  might  then  be 
laid  aside,  fires  lit,  and  food  cooked.  Tongues  would  be 
loosened  and  general  animation  would  prevail,  as  if  a  great 


-{76 


Through  Masai  Land. 


load  had  been  taken  off  every  one's  mind.  Now  and  then 
voices  would  be  hushed,  as  a  prowling  Masai  was  challenged 
by  the  guard,  or  a  gun  fired  to  frighten  them  away.  The 
stir  of  the  camp  would  reach  its  maximum  about  three  hours 
after  sunset,  and  gradually  die  away  as  the  porters,  wearied 
with  the  work  and  Avith  the  harassing  care  of  the  day,  and 
filled  to  repletion,  sank  one  by  one  to  rest,  and  then  only 
the  horrible  laughing  and  yelling  of  hyenas,  the  occasional 
roars  of  lions  and  cries  of  jackals,  would  be  heard  in  the  clear 
midnight  air. 


GLIMPSK   01'   CAMP   LIPE. 

And  now  to  resume  our  story  after  this  digression.  I 
found  that  at  Kgongo  we  had  reached  the  southern  boundary 
of  the  country  of  Kikuyu,  the  natives  of  which  have  the 
reputation  of  being  the  most  troublesome  and  intractable  in 
this  region.  No  caravan  has  yet  been  able  to  penetrate  into 
the  heart  of  the  country,  so  dense  are  the  forests,  and  so 
murderous  and  thievish  are  its  inhabitants.  They  are 
anxious  for  coast  ornaments  and  cloth,  and  yet  defeat  their 
own  desires  by  their  utter  inability  to  resist  stiealing,  or  the  fun 


KiKDTU   AND    ITS   INHABITANTS.  177 

of  planting  a  poisoned  arrow  in  the  traders.  These  things 
they  can  do  \vith  impunity,  sheltered  as  they  are  by  their 
forests,  which  are  impenetrable  to  all  but  themselves. 
Earely  does  a  caravan  come  into  communication  without  their 
trading  ending  in  bloodshed,  and  though  they  have  received 
some  bitter  lessons  in  several  fearful  massacres  at  Xgongo 
and  other  places,  they  are  yet  as  ready  as  ever  to  fall  foul  of 
the  traders.  Their  country  may  be  described  as  triangular  in 
shape,  the  base  forty  miles  in  breadth,  in  a  line  from  Xgongo 
to  the  point  of  the  plateau  overlooking  Lake  Xaivasha.  Its 
greatest  length  is  about  seventy  miles,  the  apex  of  the  tri- 
angle ending  on  the  southern  side  of  Mount  Kenia.  This 
triangular  stretch  of  country  lies  immediately  south  of  the 
line,  and  forms  what  may  be  called  a  great  undulation  of  the 
Kapte  plateau  and  of  its  northern  extension,  named  Lykipia. 
It  occupies  the  forest  region  lying  between  6000  and  9000 
feet  high,  the  trees  of  the  higher  parts  consisting  mainly  of 
magnificent  junipers  and  another  conifer  named  podocarpus. 
At  this  high  region  drought  is  unknown,  and  astonishing 
fertility  is  everywhere  seen.  Streams  abound  in  great  num- 
bers, and  form  the  head- waters  of  the  Kilalumi  or  Tana 
River.  Enormous  quantities  of  sweet  potatoes,  yams,  cassava, 
sugar-cane,  Indian  corn,  millet,  &c.,  are  raised,  and  the  sup- 
ply seems  to  be  quite  inexhaustible.  On  my  return  journey  I 
found  a  caravan  of  over  1500  men  staying  at  Xgongo,  who 
remained  there  a  month,  and  carried  away  little  short  of 
three  months'  provisions,  yet  it  did  not  seem  perceptibly  to 
aflTect  the  supply  or  to  raise  the  ridiculously  low  prices. 
Extremely  fat  sheep  and  goats  abound,  while  they  have  also 
cattle  in  considerable  numbers. 

The  "Wa-kikuyu  are  allied  to  the  "Wa-kamba  in  language 
and  manners,  though  they  are  by  no  means  such  fine-looking 
people.  The  young  men  and  the  women  affect  the  Masai 
dress  \vith  modification,  though  in  the  odours  they  cultivate 
about  their  person  by  the  use  of  grease  and  lampblack  they 
remind  one  of  the  "NVa-teita.  They  carry  a  small  spear  and 
shield,  the  knobkerry,  the  sime,  and  the  bow  and  arrow. 
The  Masai  have  made  repeated  attempts  to  penetrate  into  the 
country,  but  they  have  found  that  the  Wa-kikuyu  were  more 
than  a  match  for  them  in  their  dense  forests.  They  have 
failed  on  every  occasion.  Curiously  enough,  however,  though 
they  are  eternally  at  war  to  the  kiufe  with  each  other,  there 
is  a  compact  between  them  not  to  molest  the  womenfolk  of 
either  party.     Hence  the  curious  spectacle  is  exhibited  of 


178  Through  Masai  Land. 

Masai  women  wending  their  way  with  impunity  to  a  Kikuyu 
village,  while  their  relatives  are  probably  engaged  in  a  deadly 
fight  close  at  hand.  In  the  same  way  the  Wa-kikuyii  women 
frequently  carry  grain  to  the.Masai  kraals  to  exchange  for  hides. 
The  huts  of  the  Wa-kikuyu  are  of  the  conventional  beehive 
or  conical  shape.  It  but  remains  to  be  said  that  these  people, 
must  lead  a  trying  life  up  in  those  high  altitudes,  where  the 
temperature  in  the  dry  season  ranges  from  below  freezing-point 
to  nearly  90° ;  while  in  the  more  unpleasant  wet  season  it 
varies  from  50°  to  95° — though,  owing  to  the  excess! vq 
moisture  it  feels  both  colder  at  the  lower  and  warmer  at  the 
higher  temperatures  than  in  the  dry  season.  Hail-storms  of 
very  great  violence  and  severity  are  of  common  occurrence. 
On  more  than  one  occasion  caravans  have  been  caught  in  these, 
and  lost  large  numbers  of  men  from  the  exposure. 

Such  is  the  country  and  people  we  had  now  reached  at 
Kgongo,  and  it  behoved  us  to  lose  no  time  in  making  our- 
selves secure  from  the  Wa-kikuyu  on  the  one  hand,  and  the 
almost  equally  dreaded  Masai  of  Kapte  on  the  other.  These 
were  known  to  be  in  great  numbers  some  distance  to  the 
east.  Our  ordinary  protection  of  a  thorn  fence  was  deemed 
Tinsuited  to  our  present  situation,  Avhere  the  arrows  of  the 
Wa-kikuyu  in  the  dead  of  night  were  the  things  most  to  be 
dreaded.  A  palisade  of  tree  trunks  had  to  be  built.  For 
this  purpose  one  half  of  the  men  were  set  to  dig  the  neces- 
sary trench,  while  the  other  half  with  gun  and  axe  proceeded 
to  the  forest.  There  the  dull  thuds  and  the  crashing  branches 
soon  told  us  that  the  men  were  working  with  a  will.  Mean- 
while soldiers  patrolled  the  neighbourhood,  on  the  look-out 
for  murderous  natives.  In  a  couple  of  days  we  had  en- 
closed five  acres  with  a  palisade  which  was  strengthened  by 
branches  thickly  interwoven. 

This  important  work  performed,  we  had  to  try  to  get  into 
communication  with  the  Wa-kikuyu,  to  buy  food,  of  which 
we  were  greatly  in  need,  as  we  had  been  now  for  nearly  a 
month  on  a  purely  meat  diet  which  the  men  ate  without  salt. 
The  consequence  of  this  was  a  prevalence  of  dysenteric 
symptoms,  from  which  I  myself  was  by  no  means  free. 
It  was  not  an  easy  matter,  however,  to  get  at  the  Wa- 
kikuyu.  The  large  numbers  of  Masai  who  came  to  the 
camp  by  their  presence  prevented  their  enemies  venturing 
down  to  us,  though  at  first  they  agreed  to  make  their 
market  some  distance  off.  To  make  matters  worse,  a  fight 
resulting  in  several  deaths  took  place,  and  it  became  clear 


Warlike  Marketing.  179 

that  there  was  no  other  course  for  us  but  to  penetrate  into  the 
forest. 

A  strong  party  was  accordingly  organized,  of  which  I  took 
command,  and  we  started  on  our  somewhat  dangerous  enter- 
prise^for  we  knew  they  would  be  quite  a  match  for  us  in 
the  intricacies  of  the  forest.  We  traversed  one  of  the  most 
lovely  woodland  scenes  it  has  ever  been  my  fortune  to  see. 
Roads,  ten  to  twenty  feet  broad,  penetrated  the  wood  in 
every  direction.  These  being  absolutely  free  from  bush  or 
creeper,  and  carpeted  with  a  beautiful  covering  of  clovery 
sward,  were  most  delightful  to  walk  on,  hedged  in  as  they 
were  with  evergreen  trees,  magnificent  calodendrons,  and  a 
profusion  of  flowering  shrubs,  which  filled  the  air  with  their 
rich  fragrance.  Every  here  and  there  these  roads  opened  out 
on  a  beautifiil  park  or  charming  glade,  enlivened  with  groups 
of  antelopes,  and  sometimes  with  dark  herds  of  buflfalo. 
Ever}-where  were  evidences  of  the  presence  of  elephants, 
though  we  saw  none.  These  fine  footpaths  were  a  great 
puzzle  to  me  ai  first.  They  were  so  beautifully  regular  and 
so  broad  that  they  were  clearly  not  of  nature's  handiwork. 
On  inquiry  I  found  that  they  had  been  formed  by  the  con- 
tinual passage  of  the  great  herds  of  the  ilasai  between  the 
difi"erent  open  reaches  in  the  forest. 

After  a  couple  of  hours'  carefiU  march  along  the  interlacing 
roads  we  reached  a  place  supposed  to  be  near  the  TVa-kikuyu. 
In  response  to  a  thundering  volley  from  our  guns,  hundreds 
of  natives  sprang  suddenly  to  view, — 

And  every  tuft  of  broom  gave  life 
To  dusky  warrior  armed  for  strife. 

They  had  evidently  been  swaiming  in  the  woods  all  the  time, 
watching  our  movements  and  looking  out  for  an  opportunity 
to  attack  us.  They  now  crowded  round  us ;  but  seeing 
them  look  dangerous,  we  "  showed  our  teeth,"  and  they  pre- 
cipitately retreated  some  distance.  Going  into  the  centre  of 
the  clearing,  we  arranged  a  plan  of  action — so  many  to  buj; 
so  many  to  carry  to  the  central  station,  and  over  one-half  to 
remain  as  a  guard  ready  for  any  emergency.  Several  articles 
were  stolen  and  various  stampedes  occurred  among  the  Wa- 
kikuyu,  but  fortunately  no  serious  accident  occurred,  and  we 
were  enabled  to  return  to  camp  laden  with  aU  sorts  of  good 
things. 

After  this,  matters  improved  considerably.  The  women 
(though  never  the  men)  came  frequently  down  to  the  edge  of 
the  forest  and  disposed  of  their  abundance  to  us.     They  tried 

^'  2 


180  Thkoooh  Masai  Land. 

hard,  however,  to  inveigle  the  thoughtless  porters  into  the 
depths  of  the  forest  by  always  making  their  market  further 
and  further  inland.  So  eager  was  the  competition,  and  so 
utterly  senseless  our  men,  that  if  they  had  been  left  to  them- 
selves they  would  certainly  have  gone  on  till  a  number  of 
them  would  have  been  massacred.  With  regard  to  my  own 
followers,  however,  I  soon  put  a  prompt  and  effective  stop  to 
such  reckless  proceedings,  while  Jumba  did  the  same  with 
the  men  under  his  charge. 

On  the  8th  of  September,  having  learned  that  elephants 
had  been  heard  trumpeting  in  the  neighbourhood,  I  set  off 
with  a  small  following  of  trusty  men  to  try  my  hand  at  that 
form  of  sport.  Plunging  into  the  bowels  of  the  forest,  we 
commenced  following  an  elephant  pathway  with  the  utmost 
circumspection,  directing  each  other  entirely  by  looks  or 
signs,  though  to  attract  attention  a  low  whistle  was  allowed. 
The  sombre  gloom,  our  stealthy,  silent  movements,  the  care 
with  which  we  pushed  aside  the  bushes,  our  painful  sensitive- 
ness to  every  sou.nd  and  sight,  the  highly  strung  state  of  our 
nerves,  and  the  danger  of  the  chase,  were  at  once  sources  of 
intense  excitement  and  of  irresistible  fascination.  We  moved 
about  in  this  manner  for  quite  half  an  hour,  when  we  were 
electrified  by  a  peculiar  sound  in  our  immediate  neighbour- 
hood. We  stood  like  statues,  with  breathing  suppressed, 
hand  held  warningly  up,  and  ear  turned  in  the  direction  of 
the  sound,  and  then  we  exchanged  glances  which  required 
no  thought-reader  to  tell  that  the  word  "tembo  "  (elephant) 
was  in  each  one's  thoughts.  We  at  once  redoubled  our  pre- 
cautions, examined  our  guns,  and  put  everything  to  rights  for 
the  trial  that  was  before  us.  We  could  not  see  a  yard  ahead, 
and  we  had  to  trust  to  the  sound  to  guide  us  in  the  right 
direction  and  indicate  the  nearness  of  the  game.  Evidently 
we  were  near,  but  the  sound  ceased,  and  we  strained  our 
attention  to  catch  any  further  indication  of  the  position  of 
the  elephant.  Then  we  got  down  on  our  hands  and  knees 
and  crept  along,  peering  into  the  gloom  with  gleaming  eyes, 
and  ever  and  anon  halting  to  spot,  if  possible,  the  game. 
Again  the  strange  sound  broke  on  our  cars,  and  .  it  seemed 
quite  close,  but  curiously  enough  we  heard  no  signs  of 
breaking  branches,  or  swish  of  bending  bushes.  The  sus- 
pense became  killing,  and  we  hardly  knew  what  to  do.  We 
looked  at  each  other  in  painful  perplexity,  then  on  again  we 
went,  after  some  pantomimic  gestures  and  face-movements. 
Inch  by  inch  we  neared  our  supposed  elephant.     Once  more 


Elephants  ? 


181 


tlie  perplexing  cry  was  repeated,  and  it  seemed  within  a  few 
feet,  and  still  it  was  unaccompanied  with  any  other  indica- 
tion that  the  animal  was  near.  We  glared  through  every 
bush ;  we  listened  with  new  eagerness,  but  heard  only  the 
\nld  pulsations  of  our  own  hearts,  while  the  great  drops  of  sweat 
poured  down  our  cheeks  and  into  our  eyes.  Suddenly  there 
was  a  horrible  snarl  which  made  our  hearts  jump  to  our 
mouths,  and  the  next  moment  no  elephant  but  a  wretched 
leopard  bounded  almost  from  under  our  noses.  "With  an  ex- 
clamation of  disgust,  though  with  a  feeling  of  being  relieved 


'«^: 


MASAI    WOM£ii    or    KAFTE. 

from  an  intolerable  strain,  we  jumjxjd  to  our  feet,  but  too  late 
to  get  another  glimpse  of  the  monster  cat,  which  disappeared 
in  the  bushes. 

Feeling  rather  ashamed  of  ourselves  at  being  thus  taken 
in,  we  resumed  our  hunt.  "We  had  not  gone  far  when  we 
were  all  astonished  and  upset  by  a  terrible  crashing,  as  if  a 
whole  herd  of  elephants  was  bearing  down  upon  us.  My 
gallant  men  fled  behind  trees  or  tried  to  climb  them,  while  I 
in  the  echoing  forest  stood  bewildered,  hardly  knowing  in 
what  direction  to  look  for  the  terrible  enemy.     The  next 


182  Throdgh  Masai  Land. 

moment  a  great  rhinoceros  broke  from  the  bushes  close  to  us, 
and  before  I  could  fire,  it  disappeared  again,  blowing  air 
through  its  nostrils  with  extraordinary  snorts,  in  fact,  a  most 
thorough  resemblance  to  a  puffing  steam-engine.  We  pushed 
on,  but  though  we  saw  plenty  of  fresh  spoor,  we  failed  to 
set  eyes  upon  a  single  elephant,  and  returned  crestfallen  to 
camp. 

Business  gradually  improved  at  Ngongo.  Food  was 
bought  in  abundance  from  the  Wa-kikuyu,  while  the  Masai 
swarmed  in  daily  with  cattle,  donkeys,  goats,  and  sheep, 
enlivening  our  life  considerably  by  their  incessant  attempts 
at  stealing,  their  chanting,  dancing,  and  military  manoeuvres 
when  coming  for  liongo,  while  their  half- wild  cattle  were 
continually  breaking  loose,  running  amuck  through  the 
camp  amidst  great  uproar,  or  breaking  outside,  inviting  a 
grand  chase,  to  be  ultimately  shot  down.  Makatubu  signal- 
ized himself  greatly  in  these  hunts  by  his  fleetness,  and  his 
prowess  with  his  army  revolver,  Avhich  was  a  never-ending 
cause  of  astonishment  to  the  coast  traders  as  well  as  to  the 
Masai — for  to  them  the  revolver  seemed  a  harmless  toy. 

One  of  my  men  who  had  disappeared  near  Turuku  in  a 
very  mysterious  manner,  was  brought  to  us  by  a  Masai 
El-moruu  (elder  or  married  man),  who  had  saved  him  from 
being  spitted  on  the  spear  of  a  Moran.  The  warrior  had 
found  the  poor  fellow,  and,  as  is  customary,  wanted  to  stab 
him,  A  man  named  Kilimali  also  died  here  from  dysentery, 
making  the  fourth  death  in  my  section  of  the  caravan.  The 
Wa-swahili  elephant-hunters  shot  two  elephants  while  we 
stayed  here,  but  though  I  went  out  to  try  my  luck  tAvice,  I 
failed  even  to  sight  one. 

Our  life  at  Kgongo  was,  however,  upon  the  whole  a  very 
pleasant  one.  The  view  was  charming,  the  incidents  and 
camp  sights  of  the  most  lively  nature,  while  in  our  palisaded 
camp  Ave  felt  perfectly  secure  alike  from  AVa-kikuyu  and 
Masai.  Conversations  with  some  of  the  better  class  traders 
agreeably  filled  up  odd  times,  and  the  evenings  were  devoted 
to  the  pages  of  a  favourite  poet,  or  to  astronomical  observa- 
tions. The  days,  it  is  true,  were  very  hot,  the  temperature 
rising  usually  above  90°,  though  tempered  by  pleasant  breezes. 
But  then  the  nights  were  deliciously  cool — 40°  being  no 
uncommon  figure  before  sunrise.  On  one  occasion,  indeed, 
it  was  as  low  as  32°,  making  a  range  of  quite  60°  within  the 
twenty-four  hours. 

In  one  of  my  shooting  excursions,  I  saw  for  the  first  time 


Recruited. 


183 


specimens  of  that  beautiful  monkey  known  to  naturalists  as 
the  Colobus  guereza.  Its  great  peculiarity  is  a  stripe  of  long 
white  hair  running  along  the  sides  and  meeting  at  the  tail, 
which  is  also  white,  and  in  the  case  of  the  males  even  more 
bushy  than  a  sheep's.  The  white  hair  at  the  sides  is 
frequently  a  foot  long,  and  round  the  root  of  the  tail  a  half 
more.  The  rest  of  the  skin  is  covered  with  short,  velvety, 
black  hair.  This  beautiful  animal  occurs  only  in  dense 
forests,  its  habits  being  purely  arboreal.  It  is  found  fre- 
quently on  Kilimanjaro  and  in  the  forests  of  Kahe,  from 
both  of  which  places  I  got  skins. 

After  our  fortnight's  rest  we  found  all  our  men  thoroughly 
recruited  and  our  preparations  complete.  The  Pangani 
traders  on  an  average  would  have  little  short  of  three  months' 


CX-ilV  AT   NGOSOO. 

food  collected,  which  they  were  able  to  carry  with  the 
great  number  of  donkej's  they  had  bought.  I,  however, 
with  such  a  number  of  men  and  only  a  dozen  donkeys,  was 
not  able  to  take  more  than  about  twenty  days'  food.  Of 
this  the  men  now  carried  eight  days'  in  addition  to  their 
load — and  that  too  without  a  mutinous  word — a  fact  which 
showed  how  thoroughly  they  hated  a  purely  meat  diet,  and 
which  no  less  clearly  revealed  an  enormous  stride  in  moral 
discipline.  If  I  had  proposed  to  make  the  men  carry  even 
a  single  day's  food  on  leaving  Rabai,  not  one  would  have 
moved  a  mile  inland.  Besides  the  twenty  days'  found  in 
millet,  beans,  and  maize,  I  had  secured  over  twenty  bidlocks 
and  five  goats,  which  represented  an  additional  week's 
rations. 


184  Through  Masai  Land. 

The  20th  of  September  was  given  up  to  a  grand  "  Sadaka  " 
or  sacrifice  to  propitiate  the  gods  and  learn  the  decrees  of 
fate.  This  Sadaka  consists  in  the  enjoyable  religious 
exercise  of  feasting  on  fat  things  and  the  best  of  the  land, 
while  they  chant  or  intone  certain  prayers,  A  sign  is  then 
sought  for  as  to  the  best  day  and  hour  for  travelling,  Avith- 
out  which  no  Pangani  or  Mombasa  caravan  thinks  of  leaving 
camp.  The  result  of  these  pious  performances  was  the 
discovery  that  their  Sunday  (Friday)  at  the  fourth  hour, 
was  the  propitious  time,  and  to  that  effect  Jumba's  man 
sang  out  the  customary  Ki-nyamwezi  warning  to  be 
ready. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

TO    LAKE    NAIVASHA. 

It  was  highly  expedient  that  we  should  start  early,  so  as  to  reach 
water,  and  have  ample  time  to  select  a  secure  camping- place 
and  construct  a  strong  homa  for  protection.  But  Jumba's 
search  into  the  decrees  of  fate  made  it  clear  to  the  traders, 
themselves  that  no  one  must  leave  Ngongo  till  four  hours 
after  sunrise,  on  pain  of  bringing  down  the  wrath  of  the 
unseen  powers.  That  hour  having  at  last  arrived,  our  exces- 
sively heavy-laden  caravan,  with  men  now  thoroughly 
recruited,  resumed  the  march  for  Lake  I^Taivasha. 

Our  route  lay  about  I^.IST.W.  through  the  dense  forest  by 
a  beautiful  cattle-road.  We  rose  considerably  in  elevation 
over  an  undulating  ridge,  at  the  top  of  which  we  got  an  exten- 
sive view  to  the  east,  over  the  plain  of  the  Athi  to  the  Ulu 
Mountains.  We  had  not  gone  far  before  we  found  that  the 
Wa-kikuyu  were  literally  swarming  in  the  forest,  on  the 
look-out  for  an  opportunity  to  dye  their  spears  in  blood  or  to 
capture  goods.  Our  sensations  were  rather  queer  in  travers- 
ing these  forest  depths,  kept  as  we  were  continually  on  the 
alert,  and  in  momentary  expectation  of  encountering  treach- 
erous poisoned  arrows  launched  from  among  the  trees.  We 
had  to  proceed  very  slowly,  and  halt  every  half-hour  to  allow 
the  men  to  close  up  and  to  make  certain  all  was  well.  A 
little  after  mid-day,  we  reached  a  curious  circular  depression, 
which  had  clearly  been  at  one  time  a  charming  pond,  but 
which  was  now  dried  up.  The  traders  had  expected  to  find 
water,  and  were  considerably  downcast  at  the  discovery  of  its 
absence.     There  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  leave  the  direct 


A  LIVELY  Night.  185 

route  and  penetrate  into  the  very  heart  of  the  forest,  where 
a  pond  was  known  to  exist  in  disagreeable  proximity  to  the 
Wa-kikuyu.  Every  one  was  now  loud  in  denouncing  the 
morning's  delay,  as  it  would  be  close  on  sunset  before  the 
water  could  be  reached ;  and  even  then  we  should  not  be 
near  a  proper  place  for  camping.  There  now  ensued  almost 
a  race  to  see  who  should  reach  the  water  first,  though  the 
main  object  was  to  secure  the  safest  place  from  a 
night  attack,  which  every  one  now  looked  forward  to  as 
a  certainty. 

Near  sunset,  a  beautiful,  forest-encircled  pond,  supplied  by 
numerous  springs,  was  reached,  and  then  every  trader, 
regardless  of  the  general  safety,  sought  out  some  spot  for 
himself,  protected  by  impenetrable  bush.  Those  who  were 
not  successful  huddled  together  close  to  those  who  were,  for 
no  one  would  remain  in  the  open.  The  nile  of  the  caravan 
was  that  the  various  traders  an«l  leaders  should  so  occupy 
places  with  their  contingents  as  to  form  a  complete  ring,  the 
centre  being  occupied  with  the  cattle,  donkeys,  «S:c.  This 
highly  necessary  rule  was  in  this  instance  totally  disregarded, 
and  as  night  set  iu  we  found  we  were  camped  in  two  con- 
verging lines,  the  base  of  the  triangle  being  unoccupied,  and 
our  large  herd  of  cattle  being  left  unprotected,  I  myself  had 
been  among  the  first  to  reach  camp,  and  as  I  had  conse- 
quently got  a  good  place,  I  did  not  think  it  incumbent  upon 
me  ta  assume  the  post  of  danger. 

As  darkness  began  to  set  in,  the  amenities  of  the  situation 
were  not  increased  by  a  terrific  thunderstorm,  which,  being 
followed  by  hail,  reduced  the  porters  to  the  most  abject  help- 
lessness ;  for  nothing  paralyzes  a  negro  faster  than  wet  cold. 
Fortunately  the  storm  quickly  passed  over,  and  the  genial 
warmth  of  the  fires  was  beginning  to  revive  the  men,  who, 
finding  themselves  unmolested,  began  to  be  more  lively.  A 
volley  of  guns  soon  upset  any  feeling  of  security,  and  made 
every  man  seize  the  ever-ready  fire-arm,  No  one,  however, 
dared  budge  from  the  fires,  though  a  moment's  thought 
should  have  told  them  that  thereby  they  only  served  to 
heighten  their  danger.  The  next  moment  a  commotion  was 
heard  among  the  cattle,  and  warning  voices  shouted  out  that 
the  Wa-kikuyu  were  stampeding  them.  The  prevailing  con- 
fusion and  terror  were  so  great  that  no  attempt  would  have 
been  made  to  stop  this  disastrous  proceeding  if  I  had  not 
stirred  up  my  own  men,  and  with  my  brave  fellows,  Brahim 
and  Makatubu,  rushed  off  in  pursuit.     In  the  dense  dark- 


186  Theough  Masai  Land. 

ness,  we,  of  course,  could  not  distinguish  friend  from  foe, 
but  fired  aimlessly  into  the  forest,  in  the  hope  of  frightening 
the  disturbers  of  our  peace,  as  we  tore  along.  We  soon 
succeeded  in  heading  the  runaways  and  bringing  them  back, 
though,  if  they  had  got  twenty  yards  further,  they  would 
have  been  hopelessly  lost.  Several  arrows  were  shot  from 
the  bush,  and  two  bullocks  were  brought  in  wounded.  The 
cause  of  the  original  volley  had  been  an  attempt  to  massacre 
one  small  party  by  creeping  up  to  them.  They  were  only 
discovered  after  a  sime  had  nearly  ended  the  life  of  a  porter. 
A  prompt  volley,  however,  had  scattered  the  murderers, 
several  having  thus  been  wounded,  and  one  left  dead.  At 
the  same  moment  a  party  of  natives  with  wonderful  hardi- 
hood had  got  among  the  cattle,  and  tried  to  stampede  them." 
Another  and  yet  another  attempt  was  made  to  effect  this 
very  desirable  capture,  and  though  they  failed  to  carry  off  the 
lot,  they  at  least  got  a  few,  of  which  some  were  mine. 
"What  was  still  worse,  two  of  the  coast  porters  Avere  either 
speared  or  captured.  Xot  a  soul  slept  the  livelong  night. 
A  continuous  fusillade  was  kept  up  as  our  sole  protection;  and 
certainly  several  bullets  must  have  found  their  billets,  to  judge 
from  the  blood-stains  next  morning.  Numerous  arrows  were 
launched  into  the  camp,  but  fortunately  no  one  was  Avounded, 
mainly  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  men  protected  themselves 
by  the  Masai-dressed  hides. 

The  first  streaks  of  dawn  were  greeted  with  gladness,  for 
as  yet  we  were  unaware  of  the  extent  of  our  losses.  These 
turned  out  to  be  no  more  than  above  indicated.  The 
traders,  however,  Avere  in  a  furious  mood,  and  ready  for  any 
deed  of  blood.  An  opportunity  soon  presented  itself,  and  a 
large  capture  of  the  Wa-kikuyu  was  effected.  Every  one 
clamoured  angrily  to  have  their  throats  cut  at  once,  and  they 
Avere  hustled  about  fearfully  Avith  fierce  imprecations.  On 
all  sides  through  the  forest  could  be  heard  the  native  Avar- 
cry,  and  it  seemed  as  if  nothing  but  a  massacre  Avould  end 
the  episode.  I  let  the  traders  do  as  they  pleased  at  first,  as 
the  robbers  well  deserved  a  fright ;  but  on  seeing  that  they 
Avere  about  to  proceed  to  extreme  measures,  I  put  in  a 
very  determined  protest  against  any  further  bloodshed. 
With  difficulty  I  succeeded  in  my  endeavours,  and  got  them 
released. 

Considerably  delayed  by  this  scene,  we  resumed  our  march. 
The  natives  Avere  noAV  literally  in  thousands,  and  every  noAV 
and  then  Ave  had  to  make  a  stand  and  scatter  them   by  a 


Two   NOTABLE   MOUNTALSS.  187 

show  of  our  guns.  "NVe  thus  succeeded  in  getting  out  of  the 
worst  part  of  the  forest,  and,  as  we  progressed,  the  Wa- 
kikuyu  finding  we  were  too  many  for  them  gradually 
dropped  off,  and  we  were  finally  left  at  peace.  tVe  were 
now  considerably  over  6000  feet  in  elevation,  and  I  was 
thrown  into  ecstasies  of  delighted  surprise  in  observing 
several  very  fine  coniferous  trees  (junipers  and  podocarpus), 
rising  to  a  height  of  little  short  of  100  feet,  among  mag- 
nificent Cape  calodendrons,  splendid-flowering  trees  never 
before  supposed  to  be  found  north  of  Natal.  The  whole 
scene  was  singularly  rich  and  varied  with  the  numerous  trees 
of  temperate  aspect,  and  the  dense  undergrowth  of  bushes, 
mostly  covered  with  charming  flowers  which  emitted  a  rich, 
though  heavy,  perfume.  Beautiful  glades  honeycombed  the 
forest,  and  cattle-paths  connected  them  with  each  other. 

Shortly  after  mid-day  we  emerged  from  the  forest  and 
descended  to  a  ledge  or  step  of  the  plateau,  which  has 
clearly  been  formed  by  a  subsidence  of  the  ground  in  a 
line  parallel  with  the  main  Jine  of  fault. 

About  3  p.m.,  we  reached  the  edge  of  the  plateau,  and 
once  more  overlooked  the  Dogilani  desert.  The  view  across 
this  wilderness  to  the  dark  frowning  wall  of  Mau  was 
strikingly  impressive.  But  the  objects  which  riveted  my 
attention  were  two  isolated  mountain  masses  which  it 
required  little  geological  knowledge  to  recognize  as  volcanic. 
The  most  southerly  and  the  larger,  viz.  Donyo  la  Njniki, 
appeared  as  a  great  crater,  one  side  of  which  had  been 
blown  away,  and  in  the  centre  of  which  had  risen  a 
secondary  cone,  the  southern  half  of  the  crater-rim 
encircling  it  like  a  wall  or  embankment.  The  moimtain 
seen  to  the  north,  was  Donyo  Longonot  or  Suswa,  which 
exhibited  the  appearance  of  a  broad  truncated  cone,  so  very 
suggestive  of  a  fine  crater,  that  I  concluded  at  once  that  it 
must  be  one,  and  resolved,  if  opportunity  occurred,  to 
ascertain  correctly  whether  it  was  so  or  not.  The  view  to 
the  north  was  shut  in  by  the  escarpment  of  the  plateau  on 
which  I  was  standing,  which  here  bent  round  and  ran  west- 
ward about  ten  mUes.  This  part  was  knoAvn  as  ^lianzi-ni, 
which  is  a  SwahUi  term,  meaning  the  district  of  the  bamboos, 
of  which  there  is  a  forest  at  that  place.  It  looked  very 
grim  and  uninviting  then,  but,  as  the  sequel  wUl  show,  it 
was  fitting  it  should  be  draped  in  sombre  hues,  as  an  omen 
of  what  was  to  Ije  the  character  of  my  after-acquaintance 
with  it. 


188  Theough  Masai  Land. 

I  had  little  time  for  reflection,  however,  as  the  day  was 
well  spent,  and  we  had  yet  far  to  go.  The  men,  heavily 
burdened  as  they  were,  had  been  on  their  feet  since  morning 
without  proper  rest,  and  without  either  food  or  water.  They 
were  already  beginning  to  break  down  sadly,  and  needed  all 
available  means  of  suasion  to  keep  them  going.  Each  one 
l)egan  to  press  forward  to  the  best  of  his  abilities,  heedless 
alike  of  weaker  men,  or  the  danger  to  stragglers ;  and  soon 
the  whole  caravan  was  a  series  of  broken  parties,  only 
connected  here  and  there  by  worn-out  porters  stretched  out 
to  rest.  We  reached  the  barren  plain,  descending  the 
almost  precipitous  face  of  the  escarpment  by  a  capital 
diagonal  cattle-track,  worn  by  myriads  of  cattle  during 
centuries  of  continuous  migration  from  the  high  to  the  low 
pasturage,  or  vice  versa. 

As  we  reached  the  bottom,  the  shades  of  evening  began 
to  gather,  and  still  the  watering-place  was  not  reached.  Men 
Avere  falling  down  exhausted  with  their  great  loads,  those  of 
the  coast  porters  being  all  considerably  over  100  lbs.  Every 
one  was  looking  after  himself,  and  pressing  forward  to  slake 
his  thirst.  Suddenly  we  were  all  thrown  into  confusion  by 
an  extraordinary  event.  Lions  attacked  the  donkeys,  and 
killed  several.  The  porters  threw  down  their  loads  and 
fled.  Donkeys  were  doing  the  same,  kicking  ofi"  their 
burdens,  and  braying  lustily  with  fear.  Many  of  these, 
breaking  through  the  bushes,  were  taken  for  lions  by  the 
panic-stricken  porters,  and  shot  down.  The  cattle  got  away 
from  all  control,  and  crashed  through  the  brake,  adding 
further  to  the  chaos.  The  shouts  and  cries  of  men,  mingled 
with  the  roaring  of  lions,  the  braying  of  donkeys,  and  an 
almost  continuous  fusillade  from  fire-arms,  furnished  all  the 
elements  of  a  night  of  horror. 

Among  the  traders  a  saiive  qui  pent  was  proclaimed,  and 
the  leaders,  heedless  of  their  goods  or  men,  and  thinking  but 
of  their  own  personal  safety,  deserted  their  all,  and  fled 
forward  to  seek  the  camping-ground.  Ably  seconded  by 
Martin  and  the  head-men,  I  contrived  to  keep  down  the 
panic  in  our  section,  and  two  hours  after  sunset,  we  arrived 
at  Guaso  Kedong  without  the  loss  of  goods  or  men.  Not  so 
fortunate  were  the  Pangani  traders.  More  than  one-quarter 
of  the  caravan,  frightened  to  death  by  the  lions,  and  in  the 
belief  that  we  had  been  attacked  in  front,  dared  not  advance, 
but  huddled  together  like  a  flock  of  sheep,  seeing  lions  in 
every  waving   bush,  and  Wa-kikuyu   in  every  tree  stiunp. 


A  PERILOUS  Panic.  189 

They  must  have  suffered  considerable  hardship,  as  they  were 
without  fire,  food,  or  water,  and  the  wind  blew  with  biting 
fury  from  the  plateau.  Throughout  the  night,  guns  were 
fired  at  interval^,  which  told  eloquently  the  nervous  plight 
the  men  were  in,  while  we  ourselves,  with  roaring  fires  and 
plenty  of  water,  could  afford  to  laugh  over  the  supremely 
ludicrous,  though  dangerous,  episodes  of  the  night. 

To  hunt  up  lost  donkeys  and  cattle,  collect  loads  thrown 
away,  and  otherwise  repair  the  disasters  of  that  strange 
night,  required  a  halt  of  three  days.  Even  then  we  departed 
with  a  considerable  reduction  in  our  sinews  of  war.  Fortu- 
nately, however,  no  men  were  killed  or  wounded,  a  fact  per- 
fectly miraculous,  everything  considered.  If  the  "Wa-kikuyu 
had  put  in  an  apj^earance  that  night,  disorganized  as  we  were, 
they  might  have  obtained  a  glorious  haul  of  plunder. 

Guaso  Kedong  we  found  to  be  a  charming  stream,  gushing 
up  from  a  small  rock-ba.sin  at  the  base  of  the  escarpment.  It 
supplied  a  delightful  warm  bath,  as  the  water  has  a  tempera- 
ture of  83°,  while  the  average  of  the  air  was  only  about  70°. 

Before  leaving  this  camp  Jumba  pretended  to  infuse,  by 
some  occult  means,  healing  virtue  into  a  black  bullock, 
so  that  all  who  shovdd  take  hold  of  it  woujd  be  cured  of 
whatever  ailments  they  possessed.  To  diffuse  the  healing 
influence  all  the  porters  turned  out  to  lay  hands  ujwn  the 
sacred  animaL  The  ceremony,  however,  degenerated  into  a 
boisterous  farce.  In  the  end  the  men  pulled  the  poor  brute 
about  by  the  tail,  till  it  was  nearly  driven  mad,  and  I  had  to 
intervene. 

Keeping  north  by  west  from  camp,  we  skirted  the  base  of 
the  plateau,  and  soon  reached  a  larger  Guaso  Kedong  flowing 
in  a  deep  and  narrow  channel  cut  in  very  firm  tuff,  which 
indicated  that  we  were  back  again  into  the  area  of  the  later 
manifestations  of  volcanic  energy.  Numerous  fragments  of 
obsidian  lay  scattered  about  like  pieces  of  bottle-glass. 

About  10  a.m.  we  reached  an  open  space  where  I  shot  a 
zebra,  and  thence  we  continued  our  way  by  an  admirable 
cattle-road  through  the  forest.  I  was  well  in  front,  accom- 
panied by  Songoro,  when  I  was  suddenly  electrified  by  the 
sight  of  a  herd  of  ten  elephants  crossing  the  pathway  ahead. 
I  stood  transfixed  by  the  sight,  for  they  were  the  first  I  had 
ever  seen  in  a  wild  state.  Ordering  Songoro  back  for 
Brahim  and  the  big  "  bone- smasher,"  I  hurried  away  alone, 
afraid  of  losing  my  game.  Plunging  into  the  dense  bush, 
and  threading  its  labyrinths  with  bated  breath  and  palpi- 


190  Through  MasAi  Land. 

tating  heart,  I  was  soon  on  their  trail,  and  in  a  short  time  I 
was  alongside  of  the  elephants  as  they  tramped  onward 
leisurely,  treading  down  the  bushes  and  feeding  on  the  leafy 
branches.  Getting  within  ten  yards,  I  took  aim  at  one 
great  fellow,  which  unfortunately  was  standing  in  a  bad 
position,  and  fired,  hitting  him  just  behind  the  shoulder,  but 
at  such  an  angle  that  I  missed  the  heart.  The  next  moment 
there  was  a  fearful  crashing,  and  the  whole  herd  went 
thundering  away.  Alone  as  I  was,  several  miles  from  the 
route,  I  was  reluctantly  compelled  to  give  up  the  chase  and 
return,  unable  to  ascertain  what'  damage  I  had  done.  A 
short  distance  farther  on  the  porters  saw  some  more,  and  it 
was  clear  that  they  were  in  considerable  numbers,  though 
doubtless  at  other  seasons,  when  the  Masai  are  wandering 
over  the  Ioav  grounds,  they  retire  to  the  forest  depths  of 
Mianzi-ni  and  Kikuyu. 

At  mid-day,  after  a  sharp  march,  Ave  reached  the  head- 
waters of  the  Guaso  Kedong  (Mkubwa),  which,  like  the 
smaller  stream  of  the  same  name,  rises  at  the  base  of  the 
escarpment.  We  here  camped,  and  I  now  determined 
practically  to  verify  my  conclusion  regarding  Donyo 
Longonot,  and  to  see  whether  I  was  right  in  regarding  it  as 
a  splendid  si^ecimen  of  a  volcanic  crater.  Selecting  four  of 
my  best  men,  I  lost  no  time  in  setting  off,  as  we  had  clearly 
a  pedestrian  feat  to  perform.  We  rose  gently  in  height 
through  lelesliwa  bush,  in  Avhicli  we  saw  several  eland.  A 
hard  tramp  of  two  hours  and  a  half  brought 'us  right  to  the 
base  of  the  mountain,  only  to  be  confronted  with  a  yawning 
rent,  which  seemed  to  cut  us  off  from  the  object  of  my 
curiosity.  This  feature  is  clearly  of  igneous  origin,  formed 
in  extremely  firm  tuff  or  volcanic  dust.  Making  a  consider- 
able detour,  Ave  at  last  found  a  place  to  cross.  I  had  here, 
however,  to  leave  two  of  my  followers,  thoroughly  done  up 
by  the,  to  them,  unusual  pace  at  which  I  had  been  walking. 
I  had  now  only  Brahim  and  Sougoro  to  keep  me  company, 
as  I  braced  myself  for  the  extremely  steep  ascent.  Crossing 
some  shelves  or  steps  of  very  scoriaceous  lava  overlying  fine 
volcanic  dvist,  we  pushed  on,  stumbling,  panting,  and  per- 
spiring, over  nasty,  grass-hidden,  ejected  blocks,  and  through 
hon-id  thorny  bush.  I  experienced  due  j^leasure  at  the  sight 
of  several  charming  clumps  of  heath.  Some  of  this  I 
plucked  and  stuck  in  my  hat,  as  I  shouted  "  Excelsior  "  (in 
Ki-swahili)  to  Brahim  and  Songoro,  who  responded  in  rather 
gasping  tones.     Half-way  up  Songoro  fairly  caved  in,  and 


A   MOUNTAIN   WONT)EB. 


191 


had  to  be  left  behind.  Brahim  looked  the  very  incarnation 
of  wickedness  as  he  set  his  teeth,  and  struggled  after  me, 
ashamed  of  being  beaten. 

At  last  we  reached  the  bottom  of  the  cone  proper,  and  with 
astonishment  I  viewed  its  extraordinary  steepness.  It  beat 
anything  of  the  kind  I  had  ever  seen.  I  made  a  determined 
spurt,  literally  on  hands  and  knees,  to  ascend  this  part.  The 
slightest  sUp  would  have  landed  me  half-way  down  the 
mountain.  At  last  I  reached  the  top,  and  the  scene  that 
lay  before  me  fairly  overwhelmed  me  with  wonder.  I  found 
myself  on  the  sharp  rim  of  an  enormous  pit,  as  far  as  I  could 
judge,  from  1500  to  2000  feet  in  depth.     It  was  not,  how- 


DONYO  LOVaONOT  VB03I  O.  EEBOKG. 

ever,  an  inverted  cone,  as  volcanic  craters  frequently  are,  but 
a  great  circular  cavity,  with  perfectly  perpendicular  walls  and 
about  three  miles  in  circumference,  without  a  break  in  any 
part,  though  on  the  south-western  side  rose  a  peak,  several 
hundred  feet  above  the  general  level  of  the  rim.  So  per- 
pendicular were  the  enclosing  walls,  that  immediately  in  front 
of  me  I  could  not  trace  the  descent,  owing  to  a '  slight  angle 
near  the  top.  So  sharp,  also,  was  the  edge  of  this  marvel- 
lous crater,  that  I  literally  sat  astride  on  it,  with  one  leg 
dangling  over  the  abyss  internally,  and  the  other  down  the 
side  of  the  moimtain.  The  bottom  of  the  pit  seemed  to  be 
quite  even  and  level,  covered  with  acacia-trees,  the  tops  of 


192  Theough  Masai  Land. 

which,  at  that  great  depth,  had  much  the  general  aspect  of  a 
grass  plain.  There  were  no  bushes  or  creepers  to  cover  in 
the  stern  and  forbidding  walls,  which  were  composed  of 
beds  of  lava  and  agglomerate.  The  scene  was  of  such  an 
astounding  character  that  I  was  completely  fascinated,  and 
felt  under  an  almost  irresistible  impulse  madly  to  plunge  into 
the  fearful  chasm.  So  overpowering  was  this  feeling  that  I 
had  to  withdraw  myself  from  the  side  of  the  pit. 

Looking  down  the  side  of  the  mountain,  I  noticed 
Brahim  fairly  stuck  several  hundred  feet  below,  and  my 
feelings  fount  vent  in  hurrahs  and  excited  shouts  to  come  up 
and  see  the  wonderful  sight.  Somewhat  relieved  by  this 
outburst,  I  turned  my  attention  to  the  surrounding  country. 
Looking  towards  the  north,  the  first  sight  that  riveted  my 
gaze  was  the  glimmering,  many-isled  expanse  of  Naivasha, 
backed  to  the  west  by  the  Mau  escarpment,  whose  black 
colour  was  heightened  and  rendered  more  picturesquely  savage 
by  tumbling  thunder-clouds,  with  here  and  there  the  linear 
arrangement  which  told  of  heavy  showers.  Flashes  of  light- 
ning broke  forth  ever  and  anon,  to  be  followed  by  grand  peals 
of  thunder.  To  the  east  rose  abruptly  tlie  plateau  which  Ave  had 
so  recently  left,  and  over  the  bamboo-clad  heights  of  Mianzi- 
ni  could  be  seen  the  higher  masses  of  a  splendid  range  of 
mountains.  To  the  south  stretched  the  desert  of  Dogilani, 
with  the  less  perfect  but  larger  crater  mass  of  Donyo  la 
Nyuki.  All  this  had  to  be  taken  in  rapidly,  as  we  had  a  long 
tramp  before  us  to  reach  camp.  My  observations  indicated  a 
height  of  8300  feet.  The  highest  point,  however,  would  be 
little  short  of  9000  feet. 

"We  now  hastily  retraced  our  steps,  for  the  sun  had  almost 
set,  and  we  knew  only  too  well  that  there  were  lions  as  well 
as  Masai  in  the  path.  Picking  up  Songoro,  and  then  the 
other  two  men,  wc  hurried  backward  almost  at  a  run.  Half- 
way darkness  came  on,  with  a  drizzling  rain,  and  we  had  to 
push  along  more  by  instinct  than  anything  else.  Two  hours 
after  sunset  we  reached  camp,  to  be  hailed  with  joy  by  the 
caravan,  who  were  becoming  anxious  about  us.  I  rose  at 
once  in  the  estimation  of  the  traders,  when  our  story  was 
told — as  I  had  declared,  on  first  seeing  the  mountain  from 
the  plateau,  that  I  Avas  certain  there  Avas  a  great  pit  in  its 
centre.  It  remains  but  to  be  said  that  one  of  its  Masai 
names  is  Donyo  Longonot,  meaning  the  "  mountain  of  the 
big  pit."  They  declare  that  there  are  snakes  of  enormous 
dimensions  to  be  found  in  it.    The  Masai  describe  a  remark- 


Sap  Fate  of  a  Pokter.  193 

able  pit  in  the  neighbourhood,  in  which  animals  are  at  once 
suffocated  if  they  by  any  means  fall  into  it.  This  must  mean 
an  emanation  of  carbonic  acid  gas. 

At  Guaso  Kedong,  on  the  day  following  the  interesting 
disco verj-  of  the  crater,  the  ivory  that  had  been  collected  so 
far  was  secretly  buried,  pending  their  return  homewai-d  ;  and 
then  after  despatching  a  party  to  Mianzi-ni  with  an  Ando- 
robbo,  who  declared  there  were  several  tusks  to  be  got,  we 
resumed  our  way  to  Lake  Xaivasha.  Passing  between  Donvo 
Kejabe  (Gold  mountain)  and  Donyo  Longonot,  we  crossed  a 
connecting  ridge,  and  then  we  had  the  charming  expanse  of 
water  full  in  view.  The  march  proved  to  be  a  very  hard  one, 
and  near  sunset  the  men  were  badly  paralyzed  by  a  very 
heavy  hail-storm,  which  came  down  with  much  fury  before 
shelter  could  be  obtained.  It  became  clear  that  the  lake 
itself  was  not  to  be  reached  that  niglit,  and  we  determined  to 
camp  at  a  deserted  Masai  kraal,  a  few  of  the  huts  affording 
a  slight  shelter.  To  my  dismay,  when  far  on  in  the  night,  I 
heard  that  one  of  my  men,  who  had  fallen  behind  paralyzed 
with  the  cold,  had  not  come  into  the  camp,  and  now  it  was 
out  of  the  question  to  set  out  in  search  of  him  in  the  pitchy 
darkness  and  bitter  cold.  A  relief  party,  sent  back  at  day- 
break to  seek  him,  came  upon  his  corpse,  or  rather  the  remains 
of  it.  He  bad  died  from  the  exposure,  and  hyenas  had  sadly 
mutilated  him. 

Pushing  on  over  a  beautiful  grassy  district,  we  soon  reached 
a  broad  plain,  which  lies  between  the  lake  and  the  escarp- 
ment. Here  were  seen  thousands  of  zebras.  We  actually 
surrounded  two  large  herds,  though  the  only  result  of  a  ter- 
rible fusilade  was  the  death  of  two,  which  fell  to  my  gun.  It 
was  a  magnificent  sight  to  watch  these  beautiful  animals 
thundering  alojig  in  great  squadrons ;  here  stretching  out 
like  racers,  as  they  passed  in  dangerous  proximity  to  the 
enemy  ;  there  massed  up  at  bay,  with  excited  mien  and  head 
high  up,  trotting  about  with  splendid  action,  as  if  daring  the 
hunter  to  approach.  Anon  they  might  be  seen  at  safer  dis- 
tances, turning  rouud  to  face  their  human  foes,  with  the 
indignant  bewildering  inquiry,  expressed  by  a  half  bark,  half 
whistle,  what  on  earth  this  incursion  of  strange  beings 
meant  1 

The  bosom  of  the  lake  itself  was  one  moving  mass  of  ducks, 
with  ibises,  pelicans,  and  other  aquatic  birds.  Passing  round 
the  north-east  comer,  we  reached  a  grove  of  thorny  acacia, 
and  just  as  we  were  entering  we  were  suddenly  alarmed  by 

o 


194  Through  Masai  Land. 

a  buffalo  emerging  from  it,  and  exhibiting  signs  of  a  desire 
to  scatter  us.  My  rifle  was  not  at  hand,  but  the  animal 
changed  its  mind,  and  thus  we  were  allowed  to  camp  in 
peace. 

Not  a  moment  was  lost  in  stacking  the  loads,  and  setting 
to  work  fence-building,  for  we  had  now  arrived  at  one  of  the 
most  precarious  parts  of  the  entire  route.  Every  one,  how- 
ever, worked  with  a  nervous  energy  that  left  nothing  to  be 
desired,  and  long  before  the  Avarriors  had  gathered  in  any 
numbers,  we  were  safely  surrounded  by  an  impenetrable  thorn 
barrier. 

I  here  discovered  that  for  the  second  time  I  had  struck 
Fischer's  route,  but  only  to  learn  that  l!^aivasha  had  been  his 
furthest  point.  After  his  arrival  here  he  had  secured  a  large 
quantity  of  ivory,  but  having  been  sadly  reduced  by  illness, 
he  was  compelled  to  turn  back  when  within  a  few  days'  march 
of  his  goal — Lake  Baringo.' 

That  fact  certainly  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  when  we 
understand  the  atrocious  life  one  is  compelled  to  lead  among 
the  Masai  savages.  They  ordered  us  about  as  if  we  were  so 
many  slaves.  I  had  daily  to  be  on  exhibition,  and  per- 
form for  their  delectation.  "  Takeoff  your  boots."  "Show 
your  toes."  "Let  us  see  your  white  skin."  "Bless  me! 
what  queer  hair  ! "  "  Good  gracious  !  what  funny  clothes  !  " 
Such  were  the  orders  and  exclamations  (anglicized)  Avhich 
greeted  me  as  they  turned  me  about,  felt  my  hair  with  their 
filthy  paws,  while  "Shore"  (friend),-  "give  me  a  string  of 
beads,"  was  dinned  into  my  ear  with  maddening  persistence. 
They  made  us  stop  for  nearly  five  days,  till  all  the  El-moran 
from  far  and  near  should  have  an  opportunity  to  come  and 
plunder  us.  We  were  within  an  ace  of  a  fight,  which  would 
have  been  disastrous,  and  we  had  to  eat  humble  pie  to  propi- 
tiate their  lordships.     The  amoimt  of  goods  we  here  disposed 

'  In  a  subseqaent  expedition  this  enterprising  scientific  traveller 
largely  extended  his  knowledge  of  these  regions.  In  August,  1885,  he 
left  Pangani  for  the  Upper  Nile  Provinces,  with  the  object  of  relieving, 
if  possible,  Dr.  Junker  and  Emin  Bey.  In  January  he  reached  the 
south  end  of  Victoria  Nyanza,  only  to  find  it  impossible  to  proceed 
further  in  the  route  he  had  projected,  owing  to  the  hostility  of  the  king 
of  Uganda.  He  then  proceeded  along  the  eastern  side  of  the  lake  to 
my  furthest  point  in  Kavirondo,  and  was  then  compelled  to  return  to 
the  coast  from  lack  of  stores — his  homeward  route  being  the  same  as 
mine  in  1884,  though  with  some  interesting  deviations  of  a  minor 
character.  Unfortunately,  Dr.  Fischer  arrived  in  Europe  only  to  die 
before  he  had  prepared  the  narrative  of  this  important  expedition. 
This  loss  to  geography  occurred  at  Berlin  on  November  11th,  1886. 


Visit  to  Donyo  Buett.  195 

of  was  appalling.  Xo  one  asked  in  vain,  and  few  were  left 
unsoothed,  and  yet,  strangely  enough,  in  the  midst  of  it  all 
we  made  great  friends  with  some  of  the  elders,  who 
delighted  to  sit  and  talk  with  us,  showing  a  frankness  and 
an  absence  of  suspicion  such  as  I  have  never  seen  elsewhere 
among  Africans.  They  hail  an  admirable  knowledge  of  the 
geography  of  an  enormous  area.  This  they  had  acquired  by 
their  continuous  war  raids  and  their  nomadic  habits,  and 
they  imparted  their  information  without  reserve. 

"We  got  considerable  quantities  of  milk  from  the  women, 
but  secretly,  as  they  are  not  allowed  to  sell  the  precious 
fluid,  that  being  reserved  for  the  use  of  the  bloated  young 
warriors.  But  women  are  women  everywhere,  and  a  few 
blandishments,  chuckings  under  the  chin,  or  tempting  dis- 
plays of  beads,  won  their  hearts  and  secured  the  objects  of 
our  desire.  In  some  respects  I  began  almost  to  like  the 
Masai  (men  as  well  as  women),  as  I  gradually  became  ac- 
customed to  their  arrogant  ways  ;  for,  troublesome  and  over- 
bearing as  they  were,  they  displayed  an  aristocratic  manner, 
and  a  consciousness  of  power,  which  seemed  to  raise  them 
infinitely  above  the  negro-r-as  I  had  seen  him.  The  dam- 
sels, of  course,  would  have  been  without  fault,  if  they  had 
only  discarded  clay  and  grease  and  used  Pears'  soap.  Cer- 
tainly there  is  as  fine  an  opportunity  for  the  introduction  of 
that  valuable  article  into  the  Masai  country  as  there  is  of 
Manchester  cottons  into  the  Congo.  It  has  l)een  certified, 
I  believe,  on  unimpeachable  authority,  that  the  use  of  Pears' 
soap  is  akin  to  godliness.  Imagine,  then,  how  it  would  pave 
the  way  for  philanthropic  efibrt  ! 

It  must  be  confessed,  however,  I  had  much  reason  to  be 
thankful  that  at  Xaivasha  I  was  in  the  possession  of  a  sound 
liver,  for  the  consequence  of  being  a  bilious  being  in  a  bilious 
world  at  this  period  might  have  been  disastrous  to  further 
progress,  by  leading  to  the  commission  of  some  rash  act  or 
other.  As  it  was,  I  was  proof  against  all  the  ills  that  the 
traveller  in  Masai-land  is  heir  to,  and  was  enabled  to  pre- 
serve my  equanimity  under  the  most  unpleasant  circum- 
stances. 

To  the  west  of  our  camp,  and  forming  a  spur  to  the  Mau 
escarpment,  rose  the  rounded  outline  of  Donyo  Bum  (Steam 
Moimtain).  I  resolved  to  visit  it,  and  ascertain  for  myself 
how  far  it  deserved  the  name,  as  it  would  be  important  to 
make  sure  that  the  volcanic  forces  were  still  in  action,  how- 
■ever  mildly,  in  this  interesting  region.     I  contrived  to  get 

o  2 


196  Through  Masai  Land. 

into  the  good  graces  of  a  powerful  Masai,  and  cajoled  him 
into  guiding  me  to  the  mountain.  Selecting  eight  men,  we 
set  off  on  our  dangerous  trip,  Our  way  at  first  lay  across 
the  grassy  plain  which  lies  to  the  north  of  the  lake,  and  we 
were  amused  and  delighted  by  the  manner  in  which  the 
numerous  herds  of  zebra  played  and  frisked  in  the  pure  en- 
joyment of  life  and  utterly  unconscious  of  danger,  within 
forty  yards  of  us.  Their  tameness  certainly  was  most 
attractive  to  me,  and  a  continual  source  of  pleasure.  I 
would  allow  none  of  my  men  to  frighten  them,  though  we 
could  liave  easily  shot  dozens.  This  remarkable  absence  of  fear 
is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  Masai  never  molest  them,  as  they 
are  not  eaten  by  that  race.  Though  they  keep  down  the 
grass,  they  are  not  even  driven  away,  and  in  those  virgin 
fields,  no  sportsman  has  yet  appeared  with  his  thirst  for 
blood. 

A  couple  of  hours  brought  us  to  a  small  arm  of  the  lake 
near  the  base  of  Buru,  the  ascent  of  which  we  at  once  com- 
menced. Near  the  bottom  we  noticed  a  great  rent  along  the 
side  of  the  mountain,  looking  exactly  like  a  railway  rock- 
cutting.  The  rocks  we  found  to  be  trachytic,  with  large 
bosses  of  obsidian  of  the  purest  black.  Rounding  a  shoulder 
of  the  mountain,  we  got  a  splendid  view  north  along  a  nar- 
row trough  formed  by  the  contraction  of  the  Dogilani  plain, 
the  two  escarpments  running  from  Naivasha  northward 
parallel  to  each  other,  and  rising  abruptly  to  a  height  of 
9000  feet.  In  this  meridional  trough  lay  gleaming  the 
many-isled  and  papyrus-fringed  lake,  cut  off  to  the  south  by 
the  thin  conical  peaks  of  Lolbitat  and  the  crater  of  Lougonot, 
on  the  eastern  side  of  which  could  be  detected  a  pretty 
parasitic  cone  of  the  most  perfect  proportions.  North  of  the 
lake  lay  the  pale  green  plain  ;  then  a  darker  stretch  of  bush 
country  with  some  irregular  ridges;  further  on  a  strange 
assemblage  of  skeleton  trees,  dead  through  some  secular  cause 
and  marking  the  area  of  the  "  Firewood  Plain "  (Angata 
Elgek).  This  plain  showed  striking  evidence  of  the  agency 
of  volcanic  forces  in  forming  its  surface  features,  for 
nuinerous  cones  appeared  here  and  there,  though  strangest  of 
all  were  the  numerous  lines  of  faults  crossing  the  trough 
from  side  to  side  and  raising  prominences  not  unlike  the 
earthworks  of  a  fortified  place.  Several  faults  ran  across 
two  of  the  cones  and  split  them  up  into  a  curious  assemblage 
of  walls,  pinnacles,  and  yawning  rents.  Beyond  the  "  Fire- 
wood Plain  "  lay  gleaming  the  pretty  lakes  of  Elmeteita  and 


Steam-holes  of  Donyo  Bueu.        197 

Xakuro,  the  dark  walls  of  the  neighbouring  plateaux  form- 
ing an  admirable  contrast  to  the  glimmering  waters.  In  the 
far  distance  could  be  descried  the  mountains  of  Kamasia, 
and  they  were  looked  at  eageriy,  for  we  knew  that  the 
mysterious  Lake  Baringo  lay  at  their  base.  Over  the  eastern 
plateau — here  called  Lykipia — a  fine  view  of  the  splendid 
mountain  range  of  that  region  was  obtained,  which  looked  all 
the  grander  from  the  picturesque  effects  of  a  storm-cloud 
tumbling  along  its  sides. 

Having  recovered  our  breath  and  enjoyed  thoroughly  this 
glorious  landscape,  we  hurried  on,  as  we  had  our  work  cut 
out  for  us  if  we  hoped  to  get  back  to  camp  that  night. 
Rounding  the  northern  shoulder  of  Burn,  we  passed  a  humpy, 
parasitic  cone,  and  then  another,  both  of  which  were  largely 
composed  of  obsidian.  This  brought  us  to  the  steaming  area, 
which  we  were  able  to  identify  by  clouds  of  vapour  and  a 
curious  pufl&ng  sound  exactly  resembling  a  steam-engine 
starting  work.  Here  our  venerable  guide  caused  us  to  take 
grass  in  our  hands  as  we  approached  the  mysterious  place. 
We  soon  reached  the  holes,  and  to  propitiate  the  troubled 
spirits  of  the  earth  we  threw  our  vegetable  ofiTerings  into  a 
great  pit,  from  which  with  curious  regularity  were  puffed  or 
hissed  out  clouds  of  tteam,  accompanied  sometimes  by  gur- 
gling, at  other  times  by  a  rumbling,  noise.  This  pit  lies  on 
the  line  of  a  rent  which  can  be  traced  a  considerable  distance 
down  the  side  of  the  mountain.  Further  along  we  came  to 
the  edge  of  a  lava  cliff,  and  here  the  emission  of  steam  was 
most  copious,  as  though  it  were  hissed  out  from  the  safety- 
valve  of  an  engine.  The  rock  was  so  hot  that  my  men  could 
not  walk  on  it,  and  it  was  decomposing,  under  the  disinte- 
grating influence  of  the  steam,  into  a  crimson-red  clay.  This 
was  considered  to  have  a  wonderful  medicinal  virtue,  and  my 
men  painted  themselves  all  over  with  it.  I  also  went  the  length 
of  spotting  my  forehead.  The  altitude  of  these  steam-holes 
is  7055  feet.  The  conclusion  I  arrived  at  after  examining  the 
groimd  was  that  the  steam  had  not  a  deep-seated  source,  but 
simply  originated  by  water  percolating  into  the  lava  current  on 
which  we  stood,  that  lava  having  been  so  lately  ejected  that 
it  had  not  as  yet  cooled  down — for  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that 
lava  currents  of  any  depth  require  years  to  lose  their  original 
heat.  I  saw  no  hot  springs  here,  but  only  the  warm  water 
left  by  the  condensation  of  the  steam.  The  whole  aspect  of 
our  surroundings  strikingly  suggested  (geologically  speaking) 
quite  recent  volcanic  activity. 


198  Theough  Masai  Land. 

Of  the  luountain  itself  it  may  be  said  that  it  is  a  very 
irregularly-shaped  mass  of  volcanic  rocks,  its  appearance  in 
no  way  suggesting  a  volcanic  origin.  An  examination,  how- 
ever, shows  that  it  has  frequently  altered  its  focus  of  eruption, 
■while  numerous  parasitic  cones  have  arisen  around  it  till 
the  ejections  have  destroyed  the  original  conical  shape  of  the 
typical  volcano.  The  height  of  Buru  Avill  be  little  short  of 
9000  feet,  but  I  was  prevented  ascending  it  by  the  threaten- 
ing appearance  of  the  sky. 

"VVe  were  unpleasantly  reminded  of  the  countrj'-  we  were 
in  by  suddenly  coming  upon  a  party  of  warriors  hidden 
awaj'^  in  the  bed  of  a  rill,  eating  flesh.  On  seeing  us  they 
started  up  in  the  most  threatening  manner,  as  the  steam- 
holes  are  considered  sacred  ground,  and  to  find  them  eating 
flesh  is  a  grievous  offence — of  which  I  shall  have  something 
to  say  in  the  sequel.  Our  venerable  old  guide  was  frightened, 
and  we  stood  on  the  defensive.  The  El-moran  demanded 
angrily  what  we  were  doing  there.  Fortunately,  a  happy 
idea  struck  our  guide,  and  he  declared  he  was  taking  us  to 
bring  away  some  tusks  of  ivory  he  had  hidden  at  the  bottom 
of  the  hill.  This  mollified  them  a  little,  though  if  we  had 
been  more  defenceless,  and  seemed  more  afraid,  they  would 
not  have  scrupled  to  murder  us  off-hand.  Glad  to  get  out  of 
their  way,  we  hurried  down  the  hill,  and  returned  to  camp, 
getting  in  after  dark,  though  several  did  not  reach  it  for 
three  hours  later.  I  had  been  not  less  than  eleven  hours  on 
my  feet,  walking  and  climbing  as  fast  as  I  could,  without  a 
moment's  rest,  and  even  the  guide  was  nearly  done  up. 

During  the  night  the  warriors  tried  to  stampede  our  cattle, 
but  failed.  It  required  all  our  patience,  more  than  once,  to 
avoid  a  fight  with  the  arrogant  savages.  Upon  the  whole, 
however,  we  were  fortunate,  if  we  were  to  believe  the  stories 
of  the  traders, — how  the  young  warriors  would,  against  all 
opposition,  carry  off  Avhole  loads  of  goods,  or  bring  goats  or 
sheep  into  camp,  and  compel  the  traders  to  buy  them,  whether 
they  wanted  to  or  not ;  how,  further,  they  would  slap  the 
porters  and  call  them  cowards,  or  strike  their  great  spears  in 
the  ground  and  dare  them  to  fight.  All  this  I  saw  something 
of,  but  never  in  its  worst  aspect.  While  we  contrived  to 
keep  clear  of  embroilment,  it  was  manifest  that  a  smaller 
caravan  Avould  have  been  plundered  without  mercy. 

It  is  necessary  I  should  at  this  point  say  a  few  words  more 
immediately  descriptive  of  Lake  Naivasha.  Its  surroundings 
I  have  already  delineated,  and  it  is  only  needful  to  mentiou 


Lake  Xaivasha.  199 

that  the  lake  is  an  irregular  square,  twelve  miles  long  by  nine 
broad,  comparatively  shallow,  as  far  as  my  examination 
extended,  and  lying  at  an  elevation  of  6000  feet.  There 
are  three  small  islands  grouped  in  its  centre,  though  possibly 
these  may  simply  be  beds  of  papyrus  rising  from  a  very 
shallow  part.  The  water  is  fresh,  supplied  by  the  Guaso 
Giligili  and  the  Mumndat  from  the  north,  which  seem  to 
have  silted  it  up  considerably,  to  judge  from  the  deep 
accumulations  of  alluvium  which  form  the  grassy  plain. 
There  are  no  fish,  though  hippopotami  are  numerous.  One 
i-emarkable  characteristic  is  that  it  is  the  habitat  of 
enormous  numbers  of  wild  duck.  These  literally  cover 
considerable  areas  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year. 

The  lake  has  originated  without  a  doubt  in  the  piling  up 
of  volcanic  debris  across  the  meridional  trough,  damming 
back  the  two  streams  from  the  plateau  of  Lykipia.  Three 
cones  (Lolbitat)  rise  conspicuously  at  the  south  end,  and 
are  clearly  volcanic.  The  freshness  of  the  water  would 
indicate  either  a  very  recent  origin,  or  an  underground 
channel. 

It  was  at  Xaivasha  that  I  first  matured  a  scheme  of  a 
perilous  character.  This  was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  to 
send  on  my  caravan  with  Martin  and  Jumba  to  Baringo, 
while  I,  with  a  small  select  party,  should  make  a  flying 
visit  to  Mount  Kenia  and  the  fine  range  of  mountains  seen 
from  Burn. 

On  mooting  my  scheme,  it  was  received  with  laughter  and 
incredulity,  which  changed  to  remonstrance  and  profound 
astonishment  when  it  was  seen  that  I  was  serious.  "What !  " 
said  they ;  "  do  you  think  you  can  penetrate  a  district  with 
a  few  men,  which  we  should  be  afraid  to  attempt  with. 
several  hundretls  1  WUl  you  do  with  a  handful  what  Fischer 
failed  to  do  with  an  army  ?  Do  you  know  that  a  few  years 
ago  a  caravan  of  200  was  totally  annihilated  in  that  very 
district?"  Statements  of  this  kind  were  poured  upon  me 
^rithout  stint,  and  reiterated  (ul  7iaugeam.  My  only  reply 
was  that  Mount  Kenia  hcfl  to  be  reached  aomehow,  as  all  my 
countrymen  wanted  to  know  the  truth  about  it ;  moreover, 
I  had  now  learned  something  of  the  ways  of  the  Masai,  and 
thought  I  might  rely  upon  my  character  as  a  lybon  (medicine- 
man), where  men  and  guns  were  of  little  use.  Sadi  and 
Muhinna  hereupon  fell  into  the  depths  of  terror  and  despair. 
On  their  knees  they  implored  me,  with  abject  tears,  to  give 
up  the  project,  which,  to  their  cowardly  imagination,  seemed 


200  Through  Masai  Land. 

a  march  to  certain  death.  I  felt  inclined  to  spurn  the  base- 
hearted  knaves,  and  Avould  probably  have  done  so  had  I  not 
rather  enjoyed  giving  them  a  thorough  fright.  With  me,  as 
with  most  obstinate  men,  I  suppose,  such  entreaties  had  an 
effect  just  the  opposite  of  what  was  intended,  and  only 
deepened  my  resolution  to  make  the  venture. 

After  a  five  days'  detention  we  resumed  our  march  on  the 
4th  of  October,  starting  very  early  to  get  well  on  the  road 
before  the  Masai  should  turn  tip.  A  short  distance  from  the 
camp  we  crossed  the  Murundat,  which  here  runs  in  a  very 
deep  cutting  through  lake  silt.  Shortly  after,  we  reached 
the  Guaso  Giligili,  and  kept  parallel  to  it.  We  rose  slightly 
in  elevation,  till  we  reached  a  ridge  of  trachytic  rock,  running 
across  the  trough,  suggesting  a  lava  flow  from  Burn.  The 
Giligili  cuts  through  this  ridge,  by  a  very  deep  channel. 
The  bed  of  the  stream  was  reached  by  a  long  incline,  that 
might  be  supposed  to  have  been  formed  by  the  hand  of 
man,  but  which  in  reality  has  been  worn  out  by  myriads  of 
cattle  crossing  continually  during  unknown  years.  We 
camped  for  the  night  on  the  banks  of  this  river,  and  had  a 
lively  time  with  thieves,  as  we  had  no  proper  thorn  fence. 
The  rifle  of  one  of  my  askari  was  stolen,  and  the  traders 
lost  a  considerable  number  of  articles.  The  whole  caravan 
had  to  be  on  the  alert  the  entire  night. 

Next  day  we  continued  north  through  a  pleasant  country 
covered  by  a  silvery-leaved  bush,  named  Jeleshiva.  The 
most  striking  feature,  however,  Avas  the  marvellous  number 
of  dead  trees  which  clothed  the  entire  country,  and  seemed 
to  have  died  from  natural  causes.  What  these  causes  can 
have  been,  I  cannot  say,  as  they  have  not  acted  equally  on 
all  the  species  of  trees.  Probably  the  strange  effect  is  due 
to  either  a  change  of  temperature  or  alteration  of  the  rain- 
fall. So  marked,  however,  is  this  feature,  that  the  Masai, 
Avith  their  love  of  descriptive  names,  have  called  this  country 
Angata  Elgek  (Firewood  Plain). 

We  noticed  on  this  march  an  enormous  Masai  kraal,  which 
could  not  have  held  less  than  3000  warriors,  and  then  some 
distance  beyond  appeared  another  of  equal,  if  not  larger 
dimensions.  On  inquiry  I  learned  that  these  were  the 
respective  camps  of  the  Masai  of  Kinangop  and  Kapte  on  the 
one  hand,  and  the  Masai  (Wa-kwafi)  of  Lykipia  on  the 
otlier,  during  one  of  their  long  periods  of  deadly  fighting, 
in  which  they  thus  settled  down  before  each  other,  with 
all  their  cattle,  and  fought  day  after  day,  till  one  gave  iu. 


Pbepakation  fob  a  bisky  Tkip. 


201 


Of  this  war  and  the  mode  of  fighting  I  shall  treat  in  another 
chapter. 

After  a  considerable  march  we  reached  a  line  of  fault 
running  across  the  trough,  producing  a  feature  exactly 
resembling  a  step.  We  descended  this,  and  soon  were 
camped  in  a  picturesque  niche  of  the  Lykipia  plateau,  with  a 
pleasant  stream,  Xgare  Kekupe,  running  through  it  from  the 
heights  to  the  salt  lake  of  Elmeteita  below.  The  trachytic 
rocks  over  which  the  Kekupe  runs  have,  by  some  chemical 
process,  l)een  altered  into  a  whit«  and  soft  rock,  exactly 
resembling  chalk  in  colour,  weight,  and  hardness.  This  is 
used  by  the  Masai  in  painting  themselves,  and  making  the 


FIBKWOOD    PLAIX    (aXGATA.    ELGEK)    FROM    KEKTTPR. 

heraldic  devices  on  their  shields.  On  reaching  Kekupe  we 
formed  two  camps,  to  facilitate  our  clearing  off  in  the 
morning  without  delay  or  the  leaving  of  any  necessary 
article — this  being  the  point  where  I  intended  branchuig  off 
to  Lykipia  and  Mount  Kenia. 

As  this  trip  was  manifestly  one  of  great  hazard  and  un- 
certainty, and  as  I  foresaw  the  possibility  of  flight,  I  took 
with  me  nothing  hut  what  was  quite  indispensable.  My  very 
best  men,  thirty  in  number,  were  selected  to  follow  me,  and 
so  thoroughly  had  I  established  discipline  and  confidence, 


202  Through  Masai  Land. 

that  uo  one  protested  against  being  chosen.  Then  I  had  full 
confidence  in  Martin  and  Jumba  Kimameta,  the  latter  of 
whom  had  acted  most  loyally  towards  me.  Some  of  the 
braver  spirits  among  the  traders,  seeing  me  determined  to 
proceed  to  Lykipia,  now  declared  that  they  would  follow  me 
as  far  as  Mount  Kenia,  and  I  was  only  too  glad  to  have  them, 
as  Sadi  and  Muhinna  could  not  be  trusted.  We  thus  more  than 
doubled  our  numbers.  In  the  evening  Jumba  and  the  other 
principal  traders  came  over  to  my  quarters,  and  recited  and 
chanted  prayers  from  the  Koran  for  my  safety.  This  pious 
expression  of  their  good- will  over,  some  medicines  were  made 
by  certain  occult  means  as  a  further  safeguard,  and,  to  crown 
all,  one  of  the  sacred  komas  of  the  caravan  was,  as  a  great 
favour,  handed  over  to  me,  to  be  carried  at  the  head  of  my 
small  party.  They,  of  course,  knew  very  well  that  I  did  not 
believe  one  whit  in  these  dawas ;  but  this  act  of  theirs 
served  to  show  how  sincere  was  their  desire  for  my  success, 
and  I  would  have  been  worse  than  rude  not  to  have  accepted 
it  in  the  spirit  in  which  it  was  offered.  There  are  some  people, 
I  suppose,  who  will  express  astonishment  that  I  should  even 
have  seemed  to  tolerate  such  infidel  practices.  All  that  I  can 
say  to  such  people  is,  that  I  hope  they  may  never  be  called 
upon  to  leave  their  comfortable  arm-chairs. 

The  view  from  Kekuj^e,  up  the  steep  face  of  the  escarpment, 
a  height  of  considerably  over  2000  feet,  roused  stirring 
memories  of  home  scenes,  so  distinctly  European-like  was  the 
aspect  of  the  crags  and  the  talus,  the  lava-capped  peaks  and 
the  shattered  face  of  the  precipices — every  pohit  of  vantage 
being  occupied  by  groups  and  groves  of  splendid  junipers  and 
podocarpas,  with  their  pine-like  appearance. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

TO   LAKE   BARINGO   vid   MOUNT   KENIA. 

On  the  6th  of  October,  after  a  restless  night,  we  were  up 
with  the  dawn,  and  having  disposed  of  a  hasty  breakfast  of 
zebra-steak  and  millet  porridge,  washed  down  with  honey- 
sweetened  tea,  we  braced  ourselves  for  the  ascent  of  the 
plateau. 

Pushing  for  an  hour  through  the  steep,  wooded  slopes  of 
the  gorge  of  the  Kekupc,  we  crossed  that  stream  as  it 
tumbled    down   in   babbling    music    over   coarse    volcanic 


The  Kekup^.  203 

agglomerate.  I  was  surprised  to  observe  that  it  was  dis- 
tinctly steaming.  Putting  my  hand  into  the  water,  I  was 
still  more  surprised  to  find  it  quite  warm.  My  curiosity 
thus  aroused,  I  continued  up  the  stream,  and  soon  I  was 
charmed  beyond  description  by  emerging  upon  a  delightful 
nook,  surrounded  by  picturesque  precipices  and  rocks 
bedecked  with  the  most  profuse  vegetation.  It  was  an  ex- 
quisite illustration  of  the  inimitable  felicity  of  Nature's 
'•  art," — the  grim  and  cragged  faces  of  the  rocks  becoming 
quite  sunny  and  charming  in  their  marvellously  rich  drapery 
of  leaves  and  fronds  and  flowers.  The  central  object  of  the 
whole,  however,  was  a  grandly  rugged  rock-basin,  in  which 
the  Kekupe  welled  up  in  living  waters,  sending  off  a  silvery 
sheen  of  steam,  which  condensed  on  the  overhanging  leaves 
till  they  shone  with  diamond-like  drops.  So  romantic  was 
the  spot  that,  as  I  stood  entranced,  I  should  not  have  been 
astonished  to  have  been  saluted  by  some  ethereal  water- 
nymph,  or  to  have  heard  some  s}'ren  notes.  Poetical  T&p- 
tures,  however,  are  generally  transient  in  Africa.  The  charm 
was  gone  when  I  remembered  I  was  the  leader  of  the  Royal 
Geographical  Society's  Expedition,  and  soon,  on  scientific 
cares  intent,  I  was  making  the  welkin  ring,  shouting  for 
Songoro  to  bring  my  thermometer.  On  applying  this  test  I 
found  the  spring  to  have  a  heat  of  105°  Fahr. 

Our  route  should  have  been  nearly  west,  but  it  was 
impossible  to  climb  the  precipices.  "We  were,  therefore, 
compelled  to  keep  almost  due  north,  along  a  secondary  line 
of  faidt,  in  one  of  which  the  Kekupe  rose.  There  were 
several  of  these  lines  of  upheaval  (or  depression),  which 
produced  most  varied  and  picturesque  effects,  assisted  as 
they  were  by  a  cap  of  compact  lava-beds  overlying  coarse 
agglomerate,  that,  again,  being  crowned  by  fine  trees. 
Finally,  about  mid-day,  we  emerged  from  the  shattered  sides 
of  the  escarpment  and  stood  on  the  billowy  expanse  of  the 
plateau  at  a  height  of  8400  teet.  TVe  camped  shortly  after 
in  a  dense  grove  of  junipers,  in  which  we  found  a  deserted 
village  of  Andorobbo — the  hunting  tribe  of  the  JIasai 
country.  The  district  is  called  Dondole,  which,  I  am 
informed,  means  "everybody's  (that  is  to  say — no  man's) 
land,"  from  the  incessant  quarrels  for  possession  that  have 
taken  place  between  the  ^lasai  of  Kinangop  and  the  Masai 
(Wa-kwati)  of  Lykipia.  Shortly  after  campimg  I  spied  a 
herd  of  buffalo,  and  after  a  dangerous  hunt  shot  two,  a  cow 
and  a  bulL     In  crossing  a  wooded  gorge  an  animal  bounded 


204  Through  Masai  Land. 

from  some  dense  cover,  which  my  men  declared  was  a  lion. 
I  did  not  see  it  myself. 

Next  morning,  on  waking,  I  felt  it  wondrous  cold.  On 
untying  my  small  tent- door  (I  had  taken  Martin's  tent),  I 
was  profoundly  astonished  at  ohserving  we  were  enveloped 
in  an  unmistakable  Scotch  mist,  which  was  driving  with 
ghostly  effect  through  the  grove,  and  obscuring  the  view 
except  in  our  immediate  vicinity.  As  I  danced  about  out- 
side in  patriotic  enjoyment  of  this  un- African  phenomenon, 
with  hands  crammed  to  the  bottom  of  my  pockets,  I  could 
only  feel  the  utmost  pity  at  my  benighted  men,  who,  quite 
unable  to  see  "  the  fun  of  the  thing,"  shivered  as  if  with 
ague,  as  they  sat  shrivelled  up  before  huge  bonfires.  Of 
course  it  was  out  of  the  question  to  start  in  such  weather, 
and  Ave  had  to  wait  for  three  hours  before  the  sun  took 
sufficient  effect  and  drove  off  the  mist. 

Matters  thus  improved,  Ave  once  more  set  forth.  We  were 
in  a  somewhat  anxious  mood,  however,  as  we  expected  to 
meet  with  the  Masai.  That  meeting  Avould  very  much 
determine  our  fate  ;  the  passage  of  the  "  Mian  go  "  (door  or 
gate)  of  a  district  is  always  the  most  ticklish  matter.  We 
had  some  idea  that  the  Masai  Avere  near,  and  Ave  proceeded 
Avitli  great  caution,  as  Ave  Avanted  to  get  to  a  camping-place 
before  the  news  spread,  so  that  we  might  unmolested  get  our 
l)oma  constructed.  On  our  way  Ave  were  greatly  astonished 
to  observe  the  dried  carcases  of  numerous  cattle  Avhich  dotted 
the  entire  district.  They  shoAved  no  signs  of  death  by 
violence,  and  only  some  parts  had  been  eaten  by  hyenas  and 
other  carnivora.  We  came  to  the  conclusion  that  some 
disease  must  be  raging  in  the  land.  After  some  time  we 
sighted  a  Masai  kraal.  Skilfully  keeping  out  of  sight,  we 
came  pretty  near  it,  and  finding  a  small  stream  (the  head- 
Avaters  of  the  Murundat)  Ave  camped,  and  in  a  surprisingly 
short  time  we  Avere  surrounded  by  a  strong  fence.  We  then 
made  our  presence  known  by  firing  a  gun.  We  Avere  highly 
pleased  to  find  that  the  kmal  Avas  one  of  El-moruu  (married 
men).  Our  pleasure,  however,  Avas  quickly  dashed  on  learn- 
ing that  there  Avas  a  big  El-morans'  (warriors')  kraal  quite 
close,  and  that  they  Avould  soon  be  forward  for  their  hongo. 
These  bloated  young  scapegraces  in  a  short  time  began  to 
arrive  in  large  bands.  At  first  they  greeted  me  most  cere- 
moniously, and  in  a  few  minutes  they  transferred  a  con- 
siderable layer  of  odoriferous  grease  and  clay  to  my  hand. 
Finding  me  harmless,  though  phenomenal,  they  began  to 


"  Stabbing  it. 


205 


cross-examine  rae.  Where  was  I  going  1  Where  did  I  come 
from  ]  What  did  I  want  1  and  why  had  I  so  few  goods  1 
These  and  a  thousand  other  questions  were  poured  upon  me. 
I  told  them  that  I  was  the  white  lybon  of  the  Lajomba  (Wa- 
swahili) — that  I  was  visiting  the  countiy  to  find  out  for  the 
traders  by  occiilt  means  where  ivory  was  to  be  got.  Mbara- 
tien  (their  chief  lybon)  was  a  fraud  in  comparison  to  me  ! 
Could  any  one  but  a  great  medicine-man  have  a  skin  like 
mine,  or  hair  like  mine  1     "  Now,  you  there  ! "  I  said,  "  come 


WABBIOBS   OF   LYEIPIA. 

to  me,  and  I  will  take  off  your  nose  and  put  it  on  again. 
Come  !  you  need  not  be  afraid.  Ah  !  very  well.  Just  look 
here  for  a  moment,  and  I  will  show  you  a  thing  or  two. 
You  see  my  teeth  ]  Observe  how  firm  they  are  "  (here  I 
tapped  them  with  my  knuckles).  "You  see  there  is  no 
fraud  there.  Just  wait  then  till  I  turn  my  head.  Now 
look  !  they  are  gone  !  "  Here  every  one  shrunk  back  in  in- 
tense amazement,  and  the  whole  party  were  on  the  point  of 
flight.     Reassuring  them,  I  once  more  turned  my  head,  put 


206  Theough  Masai  Land. 

matters  to  rights  in  a  twinkling,  and,  bowing  and  smiling  to 
my  wondering  spectators,  I  once  more  rapped  the  teeth. 
Here  let  me  inform  the  gentle  reader  (in  the  strictest  con- 
fidence, of  course)  that  I  have  a  couple  of  artificial  teeth, 
which  at  this  juncture  were  perfect  treasures.  These  I 
manipulated  to  the  astonishment  of  the  Masai,  and  as  they 
thought  I  could  do  the  same  thing  with  my  nose  or  eyes, 
they  hailed  me  at  once  as  a  veritable  "  lybon  n'ebor"  (white 
medicine-man). 

After  this  they  asked  alternately  for  presents  and  medicines, 
though  the  regular  black-mail  had  been  paid.  They  pestered 
me  horribly,  dinning  eternally  the  same  persistent  demand  for 
beads,  &c.  I  was  actually  pulled  about  as  if  I  Avas  a  toy  to 
be  played  with.  They  grasped  my  arm,  pulled  my  hair,  and 
took  off  my  hat.  If  I  went  into  my  tent,  they  would  squeeze 
themselves  after  me,  until  everything  was  filthy.  They  gloried 
in  frightening  my  men  by  making  a  show  of  stabbing  them, 
and  roars  of  laughter  greeted  their  piteous  terror.  Cookiiag 
food,  under  the  circumstances,  was  out  of  the  question,  and  I 
had  to  be  content  to  sit  and  munch  some  boiled  Indian  corn. 
On  my  asking  for  a  guide  to  take  me  on  next  day,  they  laughed 
derisively.  "  What  !  "  said  they,  "  do  you  not  know  that  our 
cattle  are  dying  in  hundreds  on  all  hands  1  You  are  a  great 
lybon  j  you  must  stay  with  us  and  stop  the  plague."  Here 
was  a  pretty  fix  !  In  fact,  I  was  regularly  "  hoist  with  mine 
own  petar."  My  appeals  were  made  in  vain.  Stop  I  must. 
For  two  days  I  was  detained,  and  my  wits  were  exercised  to 
the  uttermost  to  invent  excuses  and  reasons  why  I  should  go 
on  to  spread  the  blessings  of  my  infallible  cures  over  the 
country.  The  cure,  I  told  them,  was  not  to  commence  while 
I  was  in  their  neighbourhood,  and  not  till  ten  days  after  I  left. 
Through  the  day  I  had  to  make  an  hourly  exhibition  of  my 
teeth- drawing,  and  during  the  night  we  had  to  be  incessantly 
on  the  watch,  as  continual  attempts  were  made  to  steal.  The 
people  were  indeed  in  a  very  dangerous  mood,  as  the  horrid 
disease  was  threatening  to  cut  off  all  their  cattle.  Eound  about 
the  kraals  the  scene  was  simply  fearful — hundreds  of  animals 
dying  and  in  all  stages  of  decomposition.  jSTo  attempt  Avas 
made  to  bury  these,  or  drag  them 'away.  The  consequence 
was  that  a  fearful  stench  prevailed,  and  the  people  were  in 
helpless  distress.  To  thwart  them  in  any  way  was  to  throw 
them  into  a  fury,  and'  I  verily  believe  we  should  have  been 
murdered,  but  for  the  lingering  belief  that  I  had  some  power  to 
stay  the  disease.     They  chanted  from  morn  till  night  an  in- 


The  Aberdaee  Range.  207 

cessant  prayer,  in  the  form  of  "A-man  Xgai-ai;  A-man 
Mbaratien  "  (We  pray  to  God ;  we  pray  to  Mbaratien).  The 
women,  painted  in  a  curious  fashion,  with  white  clay  on  the 
face,  danced  in  a  ring,  as  they  invoked  Ngai  or  ^Ibaratien  in 
their  own  fashion.  The  country  seemed  to  be  full  of  lamenta- 
tions and  despairing  cries.  Finding,  at  last,  they  could  not 
extort  anything  more  from  me,  and  beginning  to  believe  in  my 
protestations  that  it  was  necessary  for  me  to  leave  in  order 
that  my  medicines  might  take  effect,  they  let  me  go. 

Our  route  now  lay  over  a  hilly  region,  with  rounded  outlines. 
The  steeper  slopes  were  occupied  by  dark-green  woods,  while 
the  tops  of  the  ridges  and  the  hollows  were  covered  with  a  rich 
carpet  of  grass,  forming  the  very  finest  of  pasturage.  The 
whole  scene  was  indeed  lovely,  teeming  with  rich  luxuriance 
— a  study  in  beautiful  nature-curves,  and  variegated  green.s. 
The  range  of  mountains  which  traverses  the  plateau  added 
picturesque  grandeur  to  the  landscape  as  it  lifted  its  imposing 
masses  toward  the  heavens.  This  range,  it  may  be  remarked, 
is  not  known  to  the  natives  by  one  general  name,  only  the 
various  conspicuous  parts  of  it  being  thus  distinguished.  Thus 
one  fine  mountain  to  the  south  is  called  Donyo  Kinangop,  from 
the  district  to  the  west  of  it.  Further  north  rises  a  great 
evenly-rounded  mass,  covered  with  dark  forest,  named  Subugu 
(forest-clad)  la  Poron.  The  lower  northern  extension  is  known 
as  Settima— a  name  long  familiar  to  geographers  ;  while  on  the 
western  side  strikes  out  a  spur  known  as  Gojito.  Under  the 
circumstances,  I  think  I  am  warranted  in  applying  a  name  to 
the  mountains  as  a  ratige,  and  I  have  therefore  designated  it  the 
Abenkire  Range,  in  honour  of  the  President  of  the  Society 
which  despatched  me  to  those  lands.  The  Aberdare  range  rises 
to  a  height  of  from  12,000  to  14,000  feet,  and  runs  north  and 
south,  its  total  length  being  sixty  miles. 

On  this  second  march  in  Lykipia,  we  were  greatly  struck 
by  the  gigantic  size  of  the  j\inipers,  which  reached  a  height 
of  qiiite  100  feet,  with  splendid  boles.  The  beard-moss 
(usnea),  clinging  as  it  did  to  every  twig,  produced  a  very 
strange  and  ghastly  effect  As  it  waved  in  the  breeze,  it 
made  the  conifers  look  venerable  and  hoary,  and  almost 
vinearthly.  Maiden-hair  and  many  other  ferns  of  familiar 
aspect,  such  as  the  bracken,  were  to  be  seen  peeping  forth 
wherever  the  conditions  were  favourable. 

Next  morning  I  had  the  supreme  satisfaction,  on  looking 
out  of  my  tent,  to  see  the  grass  covered  with  unmistak- 
able   hoar-frost.       This   phenomenon    astonished    my   men 


208  Through  Masai  Land. 

beyond  measure ;  it  was  the  first  time  they  had  seen  it. 
They  could  not,  however,  get  up  an  enthusiasm  for  it, 
neither  could  they  comprehend  mine.  They  had  cursed  the 
cold  in  unmitigated  terms  throughout  the  live-long  night,  as 
they  toasted  their  sides  alternately  before  roaring  fires,  quite 
unable  to  sleep.  We  had  again  to  wait  a  couple  of  hours 
till  the  sun  warmed  up  the  air,  and  there,  within  a  mile  of 
the  equator,  I  had  to  warm  up  my  booted  feet  by  the  fire  as 
I  stood  enveloped  in  an  overcoat,  with  hands  crammed  into 
my  trouser  pockets. 

A  short   distance  from  camp  I  was  attracted  by  a  sound 
like  the  low  roaring  of  a  buffalo,  near  the  top  of  a  steep, 
wooded  slope.     As  we  were  short  of  food,  I  set  off  to  hunt 
it  up.     Peering  about  for  some  time  to  try  to  spot  the  exact 
locality  of  my  game,  I  was  nearly  thrown  on  my  beam-ends 
by  a  savage  growl  from  a  dense  patch  of  tall  grass  and  bam- 
boos.    Looking  towards  the  spot,  I  saw  a  fine  leopard  a  few 
feet  in  front  of  me,  showing  its  teeth  in  a  ferocious  manner, 
and  crouching  as  if  it  would  spring  upon  me.     Before  I  could 
fire  it  had  bounded  out  of  view.       Rushing  to  the  top  of  the 
ridge  to  get  sight  of  it  again,  I  was  suddenly  arrested  by  an 
object  which  fairly  took  my  breath  away.     Before  me,  in  the 
foreground,   lay  a  splendid  interchange  of  grove    and  glade, 
of  forest  and  plain,  stretching  in  billowy  reaches  down  to  the 
marshy  expanse  of  Kope-Kope.     Beyond   rose  abruptly  and 
very  precipitously  the  black,  uninhabited  mountains  of  the 
Aberdare  range.       These   features,  however,  were  not  Avhat 
had    fascinated    me.       It    was    something    more    distant. 
Through  a  rugged  and  picturesque  depression  in  the  range 
rose  a    gleaming  snow-white    peak  with  sparkling   facets, 
which   scintillated   with   the  superb  beauty    of    a   colossal 
diamond.     It  was,  in  fact,  the  very  image  of  a  great  crystal 
or  sugar-loaf.     At  the  base  of  this  beautiful  peak  were  two 
small  excrescences  like  supporters  to  a  monument.     From 
these,  at  a  very  slight  angle,  shaded  away  a  long  glittering 
white    line,  seen    above   the    dark    mass    of  the   Aberdare 
range  like  the  silver  lining  of  a  dark  storm-cloud.     This  peak 
and   silvery  line  formed  the   central   culminating    point  of 
Mount '  Kenia.     As  I  stood  entranced  at  this  .fulfilment  of 
my  dearest  hopes,  I  drew  a  great  sigh  of  satisfaction  ;  and  as 
I  said   to  Brahim,   "Look!"  and  pointed  to  the' glittering 
crystal,  I  am  not  very  sure  but  there  was  something  like  a 
tear  in  my  eye.     But  now,  even  while   I  stood  and  gazed,  a 
moisture-laden  breeze  touched  the  peak,  wove  a  fleecy  mantle, 


Odokifeeour  Progress.  209 

and  gradually  enshrouded  the  heaven-like  spectacle.  In  a  few 
moments  there  but  remained  a  bank  of  clouds  over  the  wooded 
reach  of  Settima.  But  I  had  beheld  a  vision  as  if  from  the 
Unseen  to  lure  me  on. 

I  was  aroused  from  a  profound  reverie  by  a  shout. 
Glancing  in  the  direction  of  the  sound,  I  saw  a  number  of 
men  tearing  along,  pell-mell,  after  two  curious  creatures. 
Roused  to  action  by  the  sight,  I  made  a  rush  myself,  but 
only  arrived  at  the  death.  The  animals  turned  out  to  be 
enormous  otters,  a  male  and  female.  There  tenacity  of  life 
was  extraordinary.  Before  they  succumbed,  they  were  battered 
fearfully  with  rungus  (knobkerries),  and  slashed  with  simes 
till  they  Arere  almost  cut  to  pieces. 

We  camped  in  a  very  dense  bit  of  forest,  the  gloomy  shades 
of  which  were  lightened  with  numerous  snow-white  orchids 
which  hung  in  pendent  beauty  from  every  limb  of  the  trees. 
The  day  being  cloudy,  however,  the  men  felt  it  ver}'  cold, 
and  they  shivered  and  shook  in  the  most  woebegone  fashion. 

On  leaving  oamp  next  day,  I  spied  a  herd  of  buffalo. 
Crossing  a  deep  gorge,  and  keeping  in  the  shade  of  the 
forest,  I  got  near  enough  to  give  one  a  fair  side-shot.  I  thought 
at  first  I  had  missed  it,  but  on  following  it  up,  the  lynx- 
eyed  Brahim  discovered  some  drops  of  blood.  After  gliding 
along  the  track  for  about  a  mile,  we  came  suddenly  upon  the 
wounded  animal,  just  as  I  had  warned  Brahim  to  keep  a 
sharp  look-out.  On  discovering  us  it  turned  with  an  ominous 
growl  as  if  to  charge.  At  the  same  moment,  however,  a  ball 
from  me  knocked  it  down.  Recovering  itself  somewhat,  it 
made  horrible  efforts  to  reach  us.  Its  vicious  eyes  were 
almost  starting  from  its  head ;  every  muscle  was  strained  in 
its  dying  rage,  and  it  seemed  the  very  incarnation  of  vindic- 
tive and  helpless  fury.  It  required  two  more  balls  in  its 
heart  before  the  sanguinary  struggle  was  finished.  The  horns 
were  of  enormous  size,  with  a  spread  of  considerably  over 
four  feet.     Unfortunately  one  was  broken. 

Continuing  our  way,  after  the  men  had  cut  up  the  meat, 
we  passed  through  a  glorious  coniferous  forest  by  a  delightful 
cattle-road,  though  the  amenities  of  the  situation  were  not 
improved  by  the  numerous  decomposing  bodies  of  cattle. 
These  increased  in  number  as  we  pushed  on,  showing  that 
we  were  approaching  Masai  kraals.  After  more  than  an 
hour's  tramp  we  emerged  from  the  forest  and  entered  the  great 
Angata  Bus,  a  fine  treeless  plain  which  stretches  in  unbroken 
monotony  along  the  west  side  of  the  Aberdare  mountains,  as 

p 


210      Through  Masai  Land. 

far  as  the  bamboo  forests  of  Kikuyu.  Skirting  the  forest  a 
short  distance,  we  reached  a  channing  glade  or  forest  niche, 
through  Avhich  ran  a  crystal  stream.  Here  we  camped,  and, 
as  usual,  we  encountered  much  annoyance  from  the  Masai, 
though,  fortunately,  there  were  few  warriors. 

Another  provoking  delay  was  now  experienced,  and 
matters  began  to  look  serious.  Our  small  stock  of  goods  was 
rapidly  becoming  exhausted.  Food  we  had  none.  We  had 
expected  to  reach  Kenia  in  less  than  eight  days,  but  it 
seemed  as  far  oflf  as  ever.  What  added  the  greatest  peril  to 
the  situation  was  the  idea  which  was  getting  afloat  that  I 
myself  had  been  the  originator  of  the  disease — so  rapidly  had 
it  been  developed,  and  so  appalling  were  its  effects — and 
natives  can  never  grasp  the  notion  of  a.  natural  cause  to 
explain  such  phenomena.  We  were  in  a  most  critical 
position  as  they  alternately  swayed  to  and  fro  between  a 
belief  that  I  was  the  cause  of  the  disease  and  that  I  might 
be  the  curer  of  it.  I  was  kept  in  incessant  anxiety,  expecting 
that  they  would  propose  a  crucial  test,  on  which  our  lives 
would  depend. 

The  buffalo  killed  on  the  day  of  our  arrival  kept  us  in  food 
on  the  following  one ;  but,  on  the  third  day  there  was  not  a 
pound  of  meat  in  the  caravan.  I  tried  to  buy  a  bullock  or 
goat,  but  the  owners  refused  a  healthy  one,  and,  indicating 
one  on  the  point  of  death,  said  I  might  have  that.  The  very 
sight  of  the  animal  made  me  feel  inclined  to  retire  behind  a 
bush.  It  was  a  stringent  rule  that  no  gun  should  be  fired  in 
the  vicinity  of  Masai ;  but,  in  despair,  I  broke  through  this 
necessary  rule,  and  went  off  to  try  my  luck  at  buffalo-shooting. 
Though  I  hit  two,  I  lost  them  both  in  the  impenetrable  bush. 
For  a  short  time  I  was  actually  surrounded  by  buffaloes, 
which  were  crashing  about  among  the  bushes.  Of  course,  we 
ourselves  were  not  seen,  except  by  a  section  of  the  herd. 

l^Qxt  day,  as  the  Masai  were  quarrelsome  about  my  having 
fired  my  gun,  I  was  compelled  to  stop  in  camp.  The  men, 
however,  must  have  food.  Fixing  at  last  upon  a  bullock 
apparently  fairly  healthy,  we  contrived  to  buy  it  for  an 
exorbitant  price.  On  killing  it  and  opening  it  up,  we  all 
shrank  back  as  a  horrid  stench  assailed  our  nostrUs.  We 
were  not  to  be  beat,  however,  and  my  men,  less  sensitive  in 
their  organs,  and  ravenous  for  food,  Avorked  away.  We 
foimd  that  the  heart  had  become  greatly  enlarged,  and 
seemed  a  revolting  mass  of  dirty,  yellow  fat.  Both  sides  of 
the  ribs  and  the  back-bone  had  all  the  appearance  of  being 


A    STEALTHY    BuRIAL.  211 

rotten,  and  many  of  the  bones  were  so  far  decayed  that  a 
push  with  a  stick  was  sufl&cient  to  make  them  crumble  up. 
The  beef  had  a  fearfully  sickly  appearance,  and  even  my 
men  turned  away  with  screwed-up  faces  expressive  of  the 
utmost  disgust.  The  hind  legs,  which  were  the  healthiest 
part,  were  taken  possession  of  for  my  use,  but  my  stomach  had 
received  such  a  "turn"  that  I  coxild  not  bring  myself  to 
touch  the  meat,  though  I  told  Songoro  to  have  a  bit  cooked. 
Towards  nightfall  I  contrived  to  cram  a  small  morsel  down, 
and  next  morning,  the  edge  of  my  repugnance  being  taken 
oSy  I  got  on  somewhat  better. 

On  more  than  one  occasion  at  this  period  the  temperature 
was  down  at  the  freezing-point  in  the  morning,  with  hoar- 
frost on  the  grass,  and  rose  to  90°  Fahrenheit  in  the  after- 
noon— a  range  of  60°  in  eight  hours. 

On  the  14th  of  October  we  were  allowed  once  more  to 
resume  our  journey.  "When  we  were  about  to  start,  I  was 
called  to  see  one  of  my  men,  who  was  reported  so  sick  as 
to  be  unable  to  go  on.  As  I  had  not  heard  of  anything 
in  particular  being  wrong  with  him,  I  thought  he  was 
shamming.  I  ordered  them  to  place  him  on  a  donkey.  As 
they  were  proceeding  to  do  this,  I  was  shocked  and  thunder- 
struck to  see  him  actually  die  in  their  hands.  Reflections 
and  lamentations,  however,  were  not  allowed  in  the  hard 
realities  of  our  life.  Our  first  impulsive  exclamation  of 
sorrow  immediately  gave  place  to  one  of  alarmed  anxiety. 
"  For  God's  sake  cover  him  up,  and  hide  him  quickly  ! " 
In  a  trice  he  disappeared  in  the  bush  before  any  of  the 
Masai  saw  what  had  happened.  The  orders  to  march  were 
then  countermanded. 

The  reason  we  gave  to  the  Masai  was  that  I  had  seen  a 
sign  which  made  it  clear  that  it  was  a  bad  day  to  travel. 
The  actual  explanation  of  our  conduct  was  the  fact  that  the 
Masai  consider  the  death  of  a  Swahili  on  their  land  a 
personal  outrage  upon  themselves  and  a  danger  to  their 
country,  which  can  only  be  wiped  out  with  the  heaviest 
penalties.  Moreover,  they  will  on  no  account  allow  a 
human  body  to  be  buried,  as  they  consider  that  it  poisons 
the  soil — a  belief  which  cremationists  may  note  as  showing 
that  "  niggers  "  have  some  advanced  notions  after  all.  The 
consequences  of  the  discovery  of  this  death  in  our  midst 
would  have  been  of  the  most  disastrous  kind.  In  the 
first  place  the  body  would  have  had  to  be  thrown  out  to  the 
hyenas    and    the    vultixres.     Then  we    should    have   been 

p  2 


212  Through  Masai  Land. 

mulcted  to  an  extent  which  would  have  meant  utter  ruin. 
Finally,  we  should  have  had  to  turn  back  in  our  steps,  as 
further  progress  would  have  simply  been  impossible.  It 
was  therefore  from  no  callousness  of  ours  that  the  porter 
was  thus  summarily  stowed  away.  In  the  dead  of  night 
the  men  worked  with  a  will,  and  by  means  of  an  axe 
and  their  hands  they  soon  dug  a  grave  in  the  heart  of  a 
dense  brake.  There  the  poor  fellow  was  reverently  laid, 
and  all  trace  of  his  grave  effaced. 

In  crossing  the  Angata  Bus  to  the  Ururu  River  we  sighted 
a  herd  of  zebra,  and  though  there  were  cattle  indicating  the 
presence  of  Masai  only  about  a  mile  off,  we  were  all  so  far 
reduced  that  I  resolved  to  risk  a  shot.  After  some  careful 
stalking  I  got  within  range.  I  dropped  one  ;  and  as  the  herd 
galloped  off,  a  second  bullet  found  its  billet.  Brahim  was  on 
them  in  a  twinkling.  He  plunged  his  knife  in  their  throats, 
and  then,  before  I  knew  what  he  was  about,  he  had  cut  off  a 
huge  steak,  and  eaten  it  raw. 

My  exclamations  of  disgust  were  stopped  by  hearing  warn- 
ing voices,  and  turning  about,  I  saw  my  men  pointing  in  the 
direction  of  the  Masai  kraals.  "We  are  in  for  it  now  !  "  I 
mentally  ejaculated,  as  I  saw  great  numbers  of  warriors  with 
their  gleaming  spears  coming  towards  us  at  full  trot.  I 
retreated  at  once  towards  my  men,  Brahim  bringing  a  huge 
chunk  of  the  zebra  with  him.  The  warriors  were  soon  down 
upon  us,  and  in  response  to  their  cries  we  stopped  and  closed 
up.  The  El-moran  in  the  most  savage  manner  demanded  an 
explanation.  As  they  stuck  their  great  spears  in  the  ground, 
they  asked  us  if  we  wanted  to  fight.  If  so,  they  were  ready  ! 
We  at  once  put  on  our  most  "  'umble,"  Uriah  Heep  manner, 
and  looked  profoundly  contrite.  We  were  deeply  grieved, 
we  said,  for  thus  infringing  their  customs,  but  we  had  done  it 
for  the  purpose  of  getting  a  particular  part  of  the  creature's 
entrails  which  was  necessary  for  the  making  up  of  our 
medicine.  They  had  to  be  further  softened  by  a  largesse 
from  our  sadly  diminished  stores,  and  then  they  consented  to 
let  us  go  on,  after  I  had  spat  upon  them  to  show  that  I  did 
not  mean  any  harm  to  them.  It  may  be  understood  I  did 
this  latter  part  of  the  ceremony  with  the  most  hearty  good- 
will. 

Being  thus  allowed  to  depart  in  peace,  we  shortly  after 
reached  the  Ururu  (so  named  from  the  thundering  sounds  it 
raises)  a  couple  of  miles  to  the  north,  where  it  forms  a 
splendid  Avaterfall.     At  the  point  where  we  crossed,  the  river 


A  Buffalo  Hunt.  213 

spreads  out  on  both  sides  as  a  great  marsh  (Kope-Kope), 
through  which  rush  a  series  of  swift  streams  over  bouldery 
channels.  After  passing  these  with  difficulty,  we  felt  com- 
paratively safe,  as  the  Masai  on  the  two  sides  of  the  Kope- 
Kope  are  not  on  good  terms  ;  besides,  there  were  none  in  our 
immediate  neighbourhood. 

Our  food  being  nearly  finished,  it  behoved  me  to  go  off  and 
hunt,  while  the  men  constructed  the  boina.  Brahim  and  I 
had  not  far  to  go  before  we  sighted  a  buffalo  bull  on  the  out- 
skirts of  a  forest  tract.  Working  up  to  within  about  forty 
yards,  I  fired  and  hit  him  on  the  side.  As  he  lumbered  off 
towards  the  forest,  I  gave  him  a  second  bullet,  which  struck 
him  in  the  hip.  Rushing  forward,  I  saw  the  bull,  as  I  sup- 
posed, tearing  along  outside  the  forest,  and  with  eyes  fixed 
upon  him  I  went  in  pursuit.  As  I  p>assed  close  to  some 
dense  bush,  I  was  suddenly  startled,  and  my  mental  and 
physical  equilibrium  upset,  by  a  fury-laden  grunt,  followed 
almost  simultaneously  by  a  headlong  charge  on  the  part  of 
the  original  bufialo.  Gentle  reader,  think  me  not  a  coward, 
if  at  this  juncture  I  did  not  assume  a  heroic  attitude  and 
wait  on  mine  adversary'.  I  preferred  "  living  to  fight  some 
other  day,"  and  I  positively  and  ignominiously  fled  to  the 
open.  Satisfied,  doubtless,  at  thus  routing  me,  the  bufiialo 
did  not  chase  me  far,  or  I  should  without  a  doubt  have  gone 
up  like  a  rocket.     He  retired  instead  into  the  dense  bush. 

Shouting  to  Brahim  to  stop  his  headlong  career,  we  held  a 
consultation  as  to  what  was  to  be  done.  Meat  must  be  got. 
The  bull  was  badly  wounded,  and  he  was  in  that  bush  ;  ergo, 
we  must  get  him  somehow.  Ah  !  but  how  1  To  follow  a 
vindictive  old  bufialo  bull  into  such  a  dense  bush  was  as  bad 
as  putting  our  heads  into  a  lion's  mouth.  We  prospected 
round  about,  but  could  see  no  opening  except  one,  and  that 
could  only  be  traversed  on  hands  and  knees.  To  be  charged 
in  such  a  rabbit's  hole  was  certain  death ;  but  we  were  des- 
perate with  hunger,  and  we  determined  to  run  the  fearful 
risk.  The  bush  was  so  dense,  so  leafy,  and  so  much  branched, 
that  we  had  literally  to  crawl  on  our  bellies.  We  could  not 
see  a  couple  of  yards  before  us.  Taking  a  long  breath,  and 
interchanging  glances  which  spoke  volumes,  we  got  down  on 
our  knees — Brahim  behind  me.  Pushing  my  head  well  in 
with  breathless  care,  I  stared  into  the  gloom,  and  listened  for 
a  sound.  Nothing  rewarded  me  but  the  sight  of  the  blood- 
bespattered  bush,  and  the  loud  beating  of  my  heart.  My 
gun   was   then    pushed   forward,    and   I,   in   my   prostrate 


214  Theough  Masai  Land. 

attitude,  dragged  myself  after  it.  Inch  by  inch  we  increased 
the  danger.  We  were  literally  worming  ourselves  into  the 
jaws  of  death.  A  few  feet  were  passed.  The  gloom 
deepened  ;  the  suspense  was  fearful ;  and  yet  we  saw  not 
our  enemy.  As  every  sense  was  strained  to  the  uttermost,  I 
Avas  suddenly  frozen  by  feeling  Brahim  nervously  grasp  my 
leg.  A  cold  shudder  convulsed  me  from  head  to  foot.  Re- 
covering myself,  I  glanced  round  and  saw  Brahim's  eyes 
glance  with  demoniac  passion,  while  the  great  beads  of  per- 
spiration burst  from  his  swarthy  skin.  His  eyes  moved,  and 
I  followed  their  direction.  They  fixed  on  a  dense  mass  of 
sticks,  and  I  did  not  require  to  be  told  that  he  had  spotted 
the  bull  behind  the  bush,  and  within  three  yards  of  us.  I 
stared  and  stared  again,  but  I  could  see  nothing.  On  looking 
again  at  Brahim,  I  saw  that  he  was  quite  mad  with  the 
danger  and  excitement,  and  was  inwardly  cursing  me  for  my 
stupidity  with  all  the  savage  intensity  of  his  nature.  Again 
I  tried  to  penetrate  the  gloom,  while  I  thought  my  heart 
would  burst.  At  last  a  dark  something  was  discerned  ;  but 
which  was  head  and  which  was  tail  I  could  not  make  out. 
The  crisis,  however,  had  come,  and  giving  Brahim  a  kick  and 
a  look,  I  made  him  draw  back  and  leave  the  passage  clear. 
"With  a  nervous  clutch  and  suppressed  breath,  I  raised  the 
rifle,  and  aimed  at  the  dark  mass.  As  the  gun  broke  the 
stillness  with  a  terrific  roar,  I  let  it  drop  from  mj^  hand,  and, 
tearing  my  way  on  all  fours  Avith  astonishing  speed,  I 
reached  the  clearing  and  was  on  my  feet  in  a  trice.  Almost 
simultaneously  a  great  black  hulk  crashed  out  of  the  forest, 
I  fled  towards  the  open,  while  Brahim  made  for  the  bush. 
To  my  great  relief  I  found  that  it  was  he  that  was  the  hunted. 
He  was  too  adroit  for  the  buffalo  among  the  widely-scattered 
bushes,  and  soon  we  were  recovering  our  breath  and  equa- 
nimity together. 

With  blood  now  heated,  and  quite  certain  that  we  had 
fatally  wounded  the  brute,  we  resolved  not  to  give  him  up. 
Getting  on  his  trail  once  again  in  a  more  open  reach  of 
undergrowth,  we  soon  sighted  our  game  standing  among  the 
bushes,  looking  excessively  vicioiis,  and  up  to  any  wicked- 
ness. Again  I  fired,  and  my  shot  was  followed  by  another 
charge,  as  we  fled  for  our  lives.  Fortunately  for  us  the 
buffalo  had  a  great  repugnance  to  venturing  beyond  the 
verge  of  the  forest.  For  the  third  time,  therefore,  lie  gave 
up  the  chase  and  returned  to  cover.  We  were  not  to  be 
beat:  and  like  bloodhounds  we  renewed  our  attack.     The 


Exciting  Moments.  215 

leathery  behemoth,  however,  had  got  as  much  as  he  cared  for, 
and  this  time  he  went  off  towards  the  heart  of  the  forest. 
Taking  up  the  trail,  we  started  off  like  dogs  on  the  scent. 
Xot  a  sound  betrayed  our  steps.  A  motion  of  the  finger  or 
a  look  would  indicate  a  drop  of  blood,  or  the  fresh  foot-prints. 
The  first  part  of  the  way  was  comparatively  free  from  under- 
growth, so  that  we  coidd  proceed  with  some  speed,  without 
the  danger  of  stumbling  upon  the  buffalo  unawares.  After  a 
two  hours'  hunt,  in  which  we  contrived  to  keep  pretty  close 
to  our  quarry,  we  entered  a  dense  bush,  and  our  dangers 
commenced  afresh,  as  we  knew  that  in  his  exhausted  con- 
dition the  wounded  animal  would  almost  certainly  hide  here. 
At  last  we  felt  certain  from  the  freshness  of  the  blood  that 
we  were  quite  close.  Again  we  had  to  take  to  creeping 
along,  sometimes  on  all  fours,  at  other  times  with  bent  back. 
At  last,  in  a  very  small  tunnel,  or  rather  at  what  seemed  the 
end  of  a  tunnel,  we  found  ourselves  in  a  remarkable  quandary. 
Brahim  had  got  in  front  of  me,  and  we  were  creeping  on  like 
dark,  noiseless  spirits,  when  I  noticed  his  body  becoming 
rigid,  his  ear  turned  slightly  forward,  and  his  whole  attitude 
betokening  the  most  absorbing  attention.  I  stared  and 
listened,  but  I  neither  heard  nor  saw  any  sign  of  our 
proximity  to  the  bull,  and  my  imagination  was  left  to 
picture  the  latter  in  all  sort«  of  horrid  positions,  and  to  fully 
realize  the  fact  that  nothing  earthly  could  save  us,  if  we 
were  charged  at  that  moment.  At  last  Brahim  showed  signs 
of  life.  "With  the  utmost  circumspection  he  withdrew  him- 
self, and  I  had  to  move  to  the  front,  as  with  telling  glances 
he  indicated  that  the  buffiilo  was  there.  I  felt  horribly 
excited,  but  there  was  nothing  for  me  but  to  venture  for- 
wartl.  Whether  the  bull  was  ahead  of  us,  or  on  one  side,  I 
did  not  know.  Inch  by  inch  I  venturetl  forward,  keeping 
myself  as  ready  as  my  cramped  position  would  admit.  At 
each  few  inches  I  tried  to  pierce  the  gloom  and  dense 
foliage,  or  listened  for  some  sound.  Suddenly,  like  Brahim,  I 
became  petrified,  as  a  sound,  like  a  pain-laden  sigh,  reached 
my  ears.  My  heart  seemed  to  stop  its  action.  I  held  my 
breath  till  I  was  nearly  suffocated,  as  I  once  more  strained 
my  attention  to  catch  that  thrilling  sound.  Again  it  came 
wafted  to  my  ears,  but  locate  it  I  could  not.  The  sigh  was 
the  long-drawn  breath  of  the  buffalo,  and  I  was  certainly 
within  a  few  feet  of  that  most  dreaded  of  all  animals,  but 
whether  it  was  right  in  front  or  standing  alongside  of  me,  I 
was  quite  unable  to  make  out.     What  was  I  to  do  ]     I  dared 


216  Through  Masai  Land. 

not  move.  I  Avas  fixed.  I  cast  back  a  glance  at  my  com- 
panion, and  we  smiled  in  a  sickly  manner,  which  eloquently 
expressed  our  thought  that  here  was  a  pretty  business  !  That 
short  minute  seemed  to  expand  into  hours  of  killing  excite- 
ment. Something  had  to  be  done  !  At  last,  therefore,  I 
pushed  aside  a  small  branch.  The  next  moment  there  was  a 
grunt  and  a  crashing  of  bushes,  as  the  buffalo  sprang  to  his 
feet.  Thinking  that  he  meant  a  charge,  I  threw  myself  back 
into  the  heart  of  a  bush,  to  avoid  the  rush  if  possible.  The 
crashing  of  the  bushes  in  the  contrary  direction,  however, 
]-elieved  us  of  further  fears,  and  soon  we  were  mopping  our 
faces  and  generally  recovering  tone,  preparatory  to  resuming 
our  hunt. 

It  now  seemed  to  resolve  itself  into  a  point  of  honour 
that  we  should  secure  the  bull,  and  we  were  prepared  to 
swear  by  all  things  sacred  that  we  would  have  his  carcase  or 
perish.  Again  we  got  close  to  the  dangerous  creature,  and 
Brahim,  whose  eyes  and  ears  were  more  acute  than  mine, 
discovered  him  once  more  behind  a  very  dense  collection  of 
bushes.  Peering  through,  I  could  just  discern  the  head. 
Taking  aim,  I  fired.  As  the  smoke  cleared  away,  I  became 
aware  of  the  furious  demon  dashing  with  a  terrific  rush  right 
into  the  heart  of  the  bush.  Again  I  fired,  as  he  struggled 
fearfully  to  force  his  way  through,  but,  so  absorbing  was  the 
sight,  that  I  actually  forgot  to  reload  my  rifle — the  Express. 
The  strength  of  the  bush-trunks,  and  the  enormous  size  of 
his  horns,  rendered  his  savage  attempts  abortive,  and  he 
retired,  making  us,  however,  prepare  to  be  chased  from  one 
side  or  the  other.  Finding  that  he  was  running  away,  I 
hurried  out  and  gave  him  a  side-shot.  This  made  him  spin 
round,  and  we  thought  it  prudent  to  ensconce  ourselves 
behind  a  tree.  Kecovering  himself,  off  he  went,  and  as  we 
followed,  we  again  nearly  stumbled  upon  him.  Another 
half-hour  Avas  spent  in  the  trail,  but  at  last,  to  our  infinite 
mortification,  we  were  compelled  to  give  up  the  chase,  as 
night  was  fast  approaching. 

I  have  detailed  this  buffalo-hunt  at  some  length,  to  show 
the  character  of  the  "  sport "  in  the  forest  of  Lykipia, 
and  the  extraordinary  tenacity  of  life  exhibited  by  that 
animal.  I  placed  not  less  than  six  bullets  in  various  parts  of 
the  bull's  carcase,  of  which  four  were  from  a  few  yards'  dis- 
tance, and  yet,  after  a  four-hours'  chase,  we  had  to  acknowledge 
ourselves  baffled. 

'Next  day,  as  we  dared  not  advance  till  we  had  prospected 


I 


THE    THOMou^    iAi-LS.    lii "i-ii    Ui.i.i.r. 


218  Through  Masai  Land. 

the  country  ahead,  I  despatched  a  small  party  for  that  purpose, 
and  then  set  off  myself  down  the  Ururu  to  visit  its  falls.  On 
reaching  them,  I  was  impressed  mightily  by  the  stupendous 
thundering  of  the  waters  which  in  magnificent  mass  plunged 
down  several  hundred  feet  without  a  break  into  a  fearful 
gloomy  gorge.  The  rock  is  a  very  compact  lava  with  a 
tendency  to  a  columnar  arrangement,  forming  near  the  falls 
precipices  of  a  very  imposing  character.  The  crevices  give 
support  to  a  splendid  drapery  of  creepers  and  bushes,  the  spray 
from  the  waters  yielding  the  necessary  sustenance.  Among 
other  plants  wild  bananas  are  to  be  seen.  A  short  way 
down  the  gorge  the  walls  become  less  precipitous,  and  recede 
at  a  high  angle.  The  gorge  and  falls  have  been  formed  by  a 
gradual  cutting  back  through  the  lavas  of  Settima  which  run 
some  distance  north  and  then  turn  west.  The  aspect  of  the 
great  Angata  (plain)  Bus  suggests  in  a  very  striking  manner 
the  theory  that  at  one  time  it  was  a  lake  which  has  been  thus 
drained  by  the  surplus  waters  gradually  cutting  the  transverse 
ridge  away.  The  marshes .  of  Kope-Kope  are  doubtless  the 
remnant  of  this  lake.  After  photographing  the  falls,  and 
naming  them  the  "  Thomson  Falls,"!  proceeded  through  the 
forest  in  the  hope  of  shooting  something.  I  failed  in  my 
expectations,  and  had  to  return  to  camp,  to  find  an  empty 
larder  and  hungry  looks,  though  no  one  grumbled.  The  men 
sent  out  to  prospect  ca'me  back  in  the  evening,  and  reported 
that  ihe  Masai  were  a  considerable  distance  off",  and  that  from 
the  cautious  Avay  we  had  to  travel  we  should  not  be  able  to 
reach  their  kraals  in  one  march. 

Leaving  the  Ururu  next  morning,  I  went  off  ahead,  in  the 
hope  of  shooting  something,  as  we  were  at  the  starvation 
point.  We  had  not  proceeded  far,  when,  on  our  passing  a 
clump  of  bush,  a  buffalo  spratig  out.  As  it  lumbered  off,  I 
seized  my  gun  and  nearly  knocked  the  brute  down  by  a  ball 
Avhich  partly  smashed  the  pelvis.  It  succeeded,  neverthe- 
less, in  finding  refuge  in  the  bush  beyond,  and  then,  as 
usual,  the  dangerous  Avork  began.  We  were  reckless,  how- 
ever, and  after  some  very  naiTow  escapes  we  succeeded  in 
killing  our  game.  I  found  that  1  had  given  it  one  ball  in  the 
pelvis,  two  balls  in  its  skull,  one  in  its  horns,  one  through  the 
shoulder-blade,  one  in  the  stomach,  and  two  through  the  heart. 
What  other  animal  could  have  stood  that  amount  of  lead  'i  We 
were  all  delighted  by  our  good  fortune,  and  in  a  twinkling  the 
meat  was  cut  up.  The  horns  proved  to  be  four  feet  from 
bond  to  bend,  and  somewhat  over  six  feet  round  the  curve. 


A  Cat  and  Mouse  Game.  219 

After  a  short  march  we  camped  in  a  charming  forest-clad 
gorge,  where  my  men  shot  another  huffalo,  and  I  a  splendid 
waterbuck.  Here  I  enjoyed  the  eerie  seusation  of  losing 
myself  in  the  shades  of  evening,  and  it  was  only  by  accident 
I  discovered  that  I  was  merrily  marching  straight  away  from 
camp,  instead  of  towards  it.  It  may  well  be  believed  that  we 
all  thoroughly  enjoyed  our  feast  of  buffalo,  even  though  the 
meat  was  as  tough  and  juiceless  as  old  boots. 

Resuming  our  march,  and  keeping  as  much  in  the  shelter 
of  the  forest  as  possible,  we  reached  about  midday  the  envi- 
rons of  the  Masai  grazing-grounds.  We  were  soon  discovered, 
and  from  all  parts  of  the  forest  warriors  came  streaming  in 
ones  and  twos.  Tliey  were  more  insolent  than  any  I  had  met, 
dispensing  even  with  the  polite  salutation  of  their  tribe.  As 
they  followed  us  up  with  extortionate  demands,  uttered  in  tlie 
most  peremptory  manner,  I  was  surprised  to  see  that  they  were 
all  apparently  short  of  breath,  and  seemed,  indeed,  to  breathe 
with  difficulty.  Appealing  to  Sadi  for  an  explanation,  I  was 
told  that  they  had  been  gorging  themselves  with  flesh  in 
the  forest  for  some  time,  preparatory  to  going  off"  on  a  great 
cattle-raid  to  the  Suk  country,  north  of  Baringo.  By  thus 
cramming  themselves  with  Ijeef,  they  believe  that  they 
become  fiercer  and  more  brave  ;  and  to  such  an  extent  did  they 
indulge  in  this  "  Duteh  courage,"  that  running  was  out  of  the 
question,  and  respiration  barely  possibly. 

Whether  from  this  cause  or  not,  certainly  they  were  rude 
to  a  degree  I  had  not  yet  seen.  They  scrupled  not  to  stop 
us,  by  holding  their  spears  at  my  breast,  and  demanding 
beads ;  on  getting  which  they  quarrelled  with  one  another 
like  hyenas,  tearing  the  strings  to  pieces,  and  losing  more 
than  half  on  the  ground.  Tlnis  escorted,  and  full  of  appre- 
hension, we  passed  over  a  beautiful,  well-watered  country, 
and  finally  camped  at  Xgare  Suguroi,  having  crossed  the 
northern  lower  shoulder  of  the  A  Km  dare  range. 

The  Masai  were  in  very  great  numbers,  and  continued 
nasty  to  a  degree  that  was  maddening.  They  played  with 
us  as  a  cat  does  with  a  mouse,  and  the  end  would  without  a 
doubt  have  been  the  same,  but  for  a  certain  hazy  respect 
and  fear  they  had  of  me  as  a  phenomenon  the  power  of 
which  it  was  not  safe  to  rouse.  I  had  to  sit  continually  on 
exhibition,  ready  to  take  their  filthy  paws,  pull  out  my  teeth 
for  their  admiration,  and  spit  upon  them,  to  show  that  I  did 
not  mean  them  any  harm. 

The  shoe  leather-like  buffalo  beef  became  exhausted,  and 


220  Through  Masai  Land. 

we  had  to  resume  life  on  the  diseased  meat.  Here  also  the 
epidemic  was  raging  with  great  fury  ;  and  yet,  in  the  midst 
of  it  all,  the  warriors  had  been  gorging  themselves  with  the 
best  of  the  cattle  for  weeks,  preparatory  to  going  to  war, 
while  many  of  the  poor  men  and  women  were  literally 
starving.  "  Medicines  "  had  to  be  made  here  for  the  war- 
riors, to  make  them  brave  and  successful.  This  I  did  by 
simply  photographing  them,  the  pretence  of  making  a  dawa 
(charm)  being  a  capital  and  the  only  opportunity  of  trans- 
ferring a  likeness  of  the  Masai  to  my  collection. 

A  medicine  also  had  to  be  prepared  for  the  disease.  I 
proceeded  by  laying  out  a  small  medicine-box  with  the  lid 
open,  showing  all  the  array  of  phials,  &c.  Taking  out  my 
sextant,  and  putting  on  a  pair  of  kid  gloves — which  acci- 
dentally I  happened  to  have,  and  which  impressed  the 
natives  enormously — I  intently  examined  the  contents. 
Discovering  the  proper  daiva,  I  prepared  a  mixture,  and  then 
getting  ready  some  Eno's  fruit-salt,  I  sang  an  incantation — 
generally  something  about  "  Three  blue-bottles  " — over  it. 
My  voice  not  being  astonishingly  mellifluous,  it  did  duty 
capitally  for  a  wizard's.  My  preparations  complete,  and 
Brahim  being  ready  with  a  gun,  I  dropped  the  salt  into  the 
mixture ;  simultaneously  the  gun  was  fired,  and,  lo !  up 
fizzed  and  sparkled  the  carbonic  acid,  causing  the  natives  to 
shrink  with  intense  dismay.  Little  bits  of  paper  were  next 
dipped  in  the  water,  and  after  I  had  spat  upon  them  the 
ceremony  was  over,  and  the  pieces  were  handed  round  as  an 
infallible  cure,  warranted  not  to  fail. 

A  third  medicine  had  to  be  made  for  the  local  lybon, 
named  Lekibes,  who  wanted  one  to  make  his  powers  greater. 
A  fourth  medicine  also  was  wanted  for  the  women,  who  were 
not  quite  as  prolific  as  was  desirable  for  a  land  almost  de- 
populated by  late  intestine  wars  and  starvation.  The  nut- 
brown  matrons,  or  would-be  matrons,  defiled  before  me,  and 
with  such  pleasing  grace  as  was  at  my  command  I  expecto- 
rated liberally  upon  them,  with  the  aid  of  occasional  draughts 
of  water. 

I  thus  starred  it  as  a  second  Cagliostro ;  but  I  was  not 
happy.  We  were  unable  to  get  away,  or  to  go  out  hunting, 
though  we  were  subsisting  on  the  most  revolting  food 
imaginable.  I  was  plundered  of  almost  everything.  The 
warriors  Avere  quarrelsome,  and  the  slightest  accident  at  any 
moment  might  have  been  the  signal  for  a  massacre.  The 
Masai  in  front  ordered  us  not  to  come  near  them  till  they 


A  Happy  Omf.n.  221 

had  discussed  all  the  pros  and  eons  of  my  case.  Only  a  few- 
miles  lay  between  me  and  the  base  of  Kenia,  yet  it  seemed 
as  if  I  would  never  reach  it. 

At  last,  after  four  days'  detention,  we  were  rejoiced  to 
hear  that  we  might  proceed.  Crossing  a  ridge,  we  got  a 
splendid  view  of  Kenia,  and  about  midday  we  struck  the 
Ngare  Gobit  from  Poron,  and,  following  it  down,  we  at  last 
entered  an  extremely  deep  glen,  which  we  found  to  be  gor- 
geous with  magnificent  Cape  calodendrons,  and  with  numerous 
flowering  shrubs  of  the  most  exquisite  description.  Note- 
worthy among  these  was  the  murju,  the  poison-tree  of  this 
region.     The  air  was  loaded  with  perfume. 

On  leaving  Suguroi  we  re-entered  once  more  the  region  of 
later  volcanic  activity ;  for  be  it  known  that  the  lavas  which 
form  the  mass  of  Kapte  and  Lykipia  are  of  an  older  date 
than  those  of  the  lower  region,  which  includes  such  masses 
as  Kilimanjaro,  Donyo  Longonot,  Donyo  La-Nyuki,  and 
Buru.  Here,  however,  as  we  approached  Kenia  we  saw 
from  the  trachytic  lavas  and  other  indications  that  the  vol- 
canic forces  had  been  active  on  the  eastern  side  of  Lykipia 
at  much  the  same  time,  geologically  speaking,  as  at  Kiliman- 
jaro, at  the  desert  plain  of  Dogilani,  and  the  meridional 
trough  in  which  lie  Naivasha,  Elmeteita,  Kakuro,  and  (as 
we  shall  see  further  on)  Baringo.  At  Ngare  Gobit  also  it 
was  noticeable  that  the  soil  became)  more  light  and  friable 
as  well  as  drier.  We  had  descended  to  an  altitude  of 
somewhat  under  6000  feet,  with  a  consequent  change  of 
vegetation,  from  the  juniper,  podocarpus,  bamboos,  and 
heaths  of  the  Dondole  country,  to  the  calodendrons,  the 
flowering  shrubs,  and  other  plants  characteristic  of  Ngongo-a- 
Bagas. 

On  continuing  our  way  down  the  i!i^gar6  Gobit,  the  "Wa- 
swahUi  who  accompanied  me  took  the  Konia  and  went  ahead, 
to  satisfy  themselves  by  its  agency  whether  there  was  any 
danger  or  treachery  to  be  feared  from  the  Masai  or  Ando- 
robbo.  Before  they  had  gone  far,  they  all  stood  entranced 
and  delighted,  as  on  our  left  the  mtemhera  (a  species  of 
halcyon)  trumpeted  out  in  cheery  notes  a  right  hearty  wel- 
come. This  the  men  interpreted  as  an  assurance  that  all 
was  well,  and  their  hearts  leapt  for  joy  as  on  the  right 
another  of  these  birds  took  up  the  song  which  told  of  peace 
and  safety. 

At  the  opening  of  the  glen  of  the  Gobit,  in  the  plains  of 
the  Guaso  Xyixo,  we  camped  near  a  village  of  the  hunting 


222  Through  Masai  Land. 

tribe  known  as  Andorobbo.  A  day  had  to  be  spent  here, 
and  then  with  hearts  brimful  of  thankfuhiess  and  pride  we 
found  ourselves  camped  in  a  bend  of  the  Guaso  K'yiro,  and 
though  we  did  not  see  Kenia,  we  knew  that  we  were  at  its 
base,  and  that  behind  the  bank  of  cloud  reposed  its  silent 
majesty,  bathed  in  bright  sunlight  though  hidden  from 
thoughtless  mortals.  Our  work  was  accomplished,  and  now 
that  we  could  look  back  on  our  horrid  path,  and  trace  the 
manner  in  which  we  had  had  to  bore  our  way  through  mani- 
fold opposition,  we  could  afibrd  to  smile  at  it  all  as,  upon  the 
whole,  somewhat  amusing. 

As  pious  Moslems  w^atch  with  strained  eyes  the  appearance 
of  the  new  moon  or  the  setting  of  the  sun,  to  begin  their 
orisons,  so  we  now  waited  for  the  uplifting  of  the  fleecy  veil, 
to  render  due  homage  to  the  heaven-piercing  Kenia.  The  day 
passed  on,  and  the  Masai  swarmed  about  us  in  their  customary 
manner ;  but  we  were  proof  against  all  their  insolence,  and 
we  continued  to  watch.  The  sun  set  in  the  western  heavens, 
and  sorrowfully  Ave  were  about  to  turn  away,  when  suddenly 
there  was  a  break  in  the  clouds  far  up  in  the  sky,  and  the  next 
moment  a  dazzling  white  pinnacle  caught  the  last  rays  of  the 
sun,  and  shone  with  a  beauty,  marvellous,  spirit-like,  and 
divine,  cut  off,  as  it  apparently  was,  by  immeasurable  dis- 
tance from  all  connection  with  the  gross  earth.  The  sun's 
rays  went  off,  and  then,  with  "  a  softness  like  the  atmosphere 
of  dreams,"  which  befitted  the  gloaming,  that  white  peak 
remained,  as  though  some  fair  spirit  with  subdued  and 
chastened  expression  lingered  at  her  evening  devotions. 
Presently,  as  the  garish  light  of  day  melted  into  the  soft 
hues  and  mild  effulgence  of  a  moon-lit  night,  the  "  heaven- 
kissing  "  mountain  became  gradually  disrobed,  and  then  in 
all  its  severe  outlines  and  chaste  beauty  it  stood  forth  from 
top  to  bottom,  entrancing,  awe-inspiring — meet  reward  for 
days  of  maddening  worry  and  nights  of  sleepless  anxiety. 
'At  that  moment  I  could  almost  feel  that  Kenia  was  to  me 
what  the  sacred  stone  of  Mecca  is  to  the  faithful  who  have 
wandered  from  distant  lands,  surmounting  perils  and  hard- 
ships that  they  might  but  kiss  or  see  the  hallowed  object, 
and  then,  if  it  were  God's  will,  die. 

We  were  now  at  an  altitude  of  5700  feet,  which  may  be 
taken  as  the  general  level  of  the  plain  from  which  Mount 
Kenia  rises.  Kenia  itself  is  clearly  of  volcanic  origin,  and 
may  be  considered  to  be  a  counterpart  of  the  Kimaweiui 
peak   of    Kilimanjaro.      Unlike    Kilimanjaro,    its   volcanic 


224  Through  Masai  Land. 

forces  have  not  changed  their  focus  of  activity,  and  hence  it 
now  stands  as  a  simple  undivided  cone.  Up  to  a  height  of 
15,000  feet  (9000  feet  above  the  plain)  the  angle  of  slope  is 
extremely  low,  being  in  fact  only  between  10°  and  12°,  a  fact 
which  woiild  seem  to  show  that  the  lavas  ejected  must  have 
been  in  a  much  more  liquid  condition  than  those  of  Kili- 
manjaro. The  angle  in  the  latter  is  much  higher,  indicating 
that  the  ejections  were  more  viscid,  and  consequently  did  not 
flow  so  far  from  the  orifice. 

At  an  elevation  of  over  15,000  feet  the  mountain  suddenly 
springs  at  a  high  angle  into  a  sugar-loaf  peak,  Avhich  adds  a 
further  height  of  about  3400  feet.  At  the  base  of  the  peak 
two  small  excrescences  are  noticeable,  and  some  distance  to 
the  north  there  rises  a  humpy  mass.  This  peak,  as  in  the 
case  of  Kimawenzi,  without  a  doubt  represents  the  column 
of  lava  which  closed  the  volcanic  life  of  the  mountain,  plug- 
ging or  sealing  up  the  troubled  spirits  of  the  earth.  The 
crater  has  been  gradually  Avashed  away — having  been  com- 
posed, doubtless,  of  loose  ashes  and  beds  of  lava,  and  now 
the  plug  stands  forth,  a  fitting  pinnacle  to  the  majestic  mass 
below.  As  at  Kilimanjaro,  nature  has  appropriately  woven 
for  its  grim  head  a  soft  crown  of  eternal  snow,  the  cool,  calm 
shining  of  which  is  at  once  a  wonderful  contrast  and  a  strange 
close  to  the  mountain's  fiery  history.  The  sides  of  this 
upper  peak  are  so  steep  and  precipitous  that  on  many  places 
the  snow  is  quite  unable  to  lie,  and  in  consequence  the  rocks 
appear  here  and  there  as  black  spots  in  the  white  mantle. 
Hence  its  Masai  name  of  Donyo  Egere  (the  speckled  or  grey 
mountain).  The  snow  covers  the  whole  of  the  upper  peak, 
and  extends  some  distance  on  either  side,  reaching,  and 
indeed  including  the  humpy  mass  on  the  north.  The  peak 
is  strikingly  suggestive  of  an  enormous  white  crystal  or 
stalagmite,  set  upon  a  sooty  basement  which  falls  away 
gradually  into  the  dark  emerald  green  of  the  forest  region 
round  the  base. 

On  the  side  where  we  were — the  west — there  are  no  in- 
habitants, if  we  except  the  Andorobbo,  wlxo  live  near  the 
bottom  of  the  mountain,  and  roam  its  pathless  forests  in 
pursuit  of  the  elephant  and  buffalo,  on  which  they  largely 
depend  for  their  food,  while  by  selling  the  ivory  of  the 
former  they  obtain  the  beads  and  iron  wire  which  form  their 
ornaments.  On  the  southern  aspect  of  the  mountain  there  are 
Wa-kikuyu.  On  the  eastern  the  inhabitants,  the  Wa-daicho, 
are  a  very  difficult  and  dangerous  race  to  deal  with  in  their 


Kenia.  225 

enormous  forests — the  worst  traits  of  the  Wa-kiknyu  being 
fully  developed  in  them. 

To  the  north  of  Kenia  a  low  range  of  mountains  runs 
northward,  separated  from  the  former  by  the  Guaso  Nyiro. 
This  range  is  known  as  Donyo  Endika,  which  may  be  freely 
translated  as  the  pig-tail  mountain,  in  allusion  to  the  way  in 
which  it  stretches  from  Kenia  in  the  manner  of  the  tied-up 
hair  of  the  Masai  warriors. 

A  very  few  streams,  and  those  of  the  smallest,  rise  on  the 
east  and  north  side,  though  curiously  it  is  said  that  a  very 
large  number  flow  down  the  southern  aspect,  and  add  enor- 
mously to  the  volume  of  the  Kilalumi  or  Tana  River,  which 
rises  near  the  edge  of  the  Kikuyu  highlands,  overlooking 
Naivasha,  thus  resembling  Kilimanjaro  in  a  very  remarkable 
feature. 

Before  dismissing  Kenia  it  remains  but  to  be  said  that 
almost  the  only  times  at  which  it  is  to  be  seen  are  the  early 
morning  and  the  evening.  The  mountain  remains  as  a  rule 
shrouded  up  during  the  day  in  clouds.  As  in  the  case  of 
its  colossal  kinsman,  Kibo,  the  upper  peak  is  seen  frequently 
long  after  the  lower  part  has  disappeared,  and  presents  the 
most  imposing  spectacle  imaginable,  giving  one  the  idea  of 
some  supernatural  vision  in  the  sky. 

The  Guaso  Xyiro,  on  which  we  were  camped,  is  a  stream 
of  considerable  dimensions,  draining  nearly  the  whole  of 
Lykipia,  the  Aberdare  Range,  the  west  and  north  of  Kenia, 
and  then  flowing  N.E.  through  the  Galla  country  to  Lorian, 
which  is  sometimes  described  as  a  country,  sometimes  as  a  lake. 

I  was  surprised  to  find  at  this  place  a  large  number  of 
camels,  which  had  been  captured  from  the  Gallas  to  the 
north-east.  The  Masai  have  no  idea  of  using  them  as  beasts 
of  burden ;  but,  though  astonishingly  fastidious  as  to  what 
they  eat,  they  do  not  scruple  to  use  them  for  food.  They 
were  also  acquainted  with  the  horse,  which  they  called  hurta. 

I  had  thus  got  to  the  base  of  Kenia ;  but  I  had  not  been 
many  hours  there  before  I  became  impressed  with  the  fact 
that  the  sooner  I  was  clear  of  the  Masai  the  better,  and  that 
all  thought  of  ascending  the  mountain  must  be  abandoned. 
Our  goods  were  utterly  exhausted,  and  the  warriors  propor- 
tionately difficult  to  manage.  Eno's  fruit  salt  and  a  couple 
of  artificial  teeth  were  no  longer  novelties ;  my  tormentors 
were  also  becoming  a  trifle  too  importunate  in  ordering  me 
to  cut  off  my  nasal  organ  and  clap  it  on  again.  One  warrior 
humiliated  me  insultingly  by  seizing  it  with  vice-like  grasp, 

Q 


226  Through  Masai  Land. 

in  the  belief  that  it  would  give  way.  On  my  assuming  a 
severely  indignant  expression,  and  threatening  to  bring  the 
wrath  of  the  gods  upon  him,  he  slunk  away,  leaving  me  to 
wash  off  the  greasy  finger-marks.  They  were  also  in  an  ex- 
cited condition  over  their  projected  raid,  and  they  even  talked 
about  impressing  me  into  their  service.  On  inquiry  I  learned 
with  great  satisfaction  that  betM'^een  Kenia  and  Baringo  there 
were  no  inhabitants,  so  that  if  we  could  once  get  fairly  away 
we  should  be  safe. 

At  last  our  flight  could  be  delayed  no  longer.  The  traders 
who  had  come  wi1;h  me  so  far  agreed  to  disappear  with  the 
Andorobbo  into  the  forest,  where  they  would  be  safe,  and 
find  some  way  of  getting  back  to  Mianzini,  so  as  to  be  able  to 
rejoin  Jumba  on  his  return.  I  was  greatly  delighted  to  find 
here  a  brother  of  our  very  good  friend  Kombo-ngishu.  We 
at  once  became  the  greatest  of  friends.  He  advised  us,  if 
we  valued  our  lives,  or  wished  to  get  away  at  all,  not  to  lose 
another  day,  but  to  flee  in  the  middle  of  the  night.  This  we 
resolved  to  do,  he  promising,  for  the  sake  of  his  brother,  to 
take  us  a  part  of  the  way.  The  night,  however,  was  so  dark, 
and  the  way  so  thorny  and  bad,  that  after  going  a  short 
distance  we  were  compelled  to  stop  till  near  daylight.  We 
then  scattered  somewhat,  not  to  make  too  distinct  a  track, 
and  went  off  almost  at  a  trot.  The  morning  was  extremely 
cold,  which  helped  us  immensely,  as  we  knew  that  the  Masai 
would  not  venture  out  of  their  kraals  till  at  least  two  hours 
after  sunrise.  By  that  time  we  had  got  past  the  worst,  and 
into  a  forest  tract,  where  we  could  breathe  in  comparative 
safety,  though  we  did  not  dare  halt  for  a  moment.  We  thus 
pushed  on  without  a  pause  for  more  than  twenty-five  miles, 
to  a  small  stream  or  rather  string  of  muddy  pools,  capitally 
described  by  its  name  Elgejo  le  Sekira  (the  Cowrie  Stream), 
the  white  pools  being  strikingly  like  a  string  of  those  shells. 
Here  we  came  across  a  rhino  with  a  baby.  The  former  we 
drove  off,  and  then  captured  the  latter,  which  gave  us  infinite 
fun  by  its  irrepressible  pugnacity  and  pluck.  It  knocked 
over  several  of  the  men  by  going  full  tilt  at  their  legs.  We 
here  had  to  part  with  our  generous  guide,  who  ran  great 
risks  in  thus  assisting  us  to  run  away.  He  was  careful,  how- 
ever, to  go  off  to  a  distance  and  visit  some  friends,  to  throw 
his  tribesmen  off  the  scent. 

We  were  now  in  a  very  peculiar  position.  Through  a 
wilderness  infested  by  roving  bands  of  Wa-suk  and  Masai, 
we  were  ordering  our  steps  for  Lake  Baringo,  which  our 


A    MISEEADLE    MaRCH.  227 

guide  of  the  previous  day  had  pointed  out  as  being  somewhere 
in  a  particular  direction.  The  countrj'  was  covered  with  a 
trackless  forest,  and  food  we  had  none.  Yet  we  were  all  in 
the  highest  spirits  after  oxii  life  of  worrj'  among  the  Masai. 
Game  was  plentiful,  and  the  entire  country  was  a  network 
of  sparkling  streams.  "We  voted  the  whole  adventure  quite 
delightful,  and,  heedless  of  everything,  we  light-heartedly 
whistled  and  sang  or  cracked  jokes  till  the  very  welkin  rang. 
Buffaloes  turned  up  their  noses  and  snorted  astonishment ; 
rhinoceroses,  like  evil  spirits  exorcised,  fled,  blowing  off  wind 
like  a  steam-engine. 

On  our  third  march  we  reached  the  Guaso  N'Erok  (Black 
River),  so  called  from  the  apparent  colour  of  the  wat^r  as  it 
flows  over  black  volcanic  boulders  and  rocks.  This  river  is 
the  continuation  of  the  Ururu  below  the  gorge  of  the  Thomson 
Falls.  Here  it  flows,  however,  through  a  deep  valley  or 
glen,  flanked  to  the  east  by  a  high,  mountainous  region, 
which  forms  an  extension  of  the  highlands  of  Dondole. 

The  march  on  leaving  the  Guaso  N'Erok  was  one  of 
supreme  discomfort.  We  pushed  our  way  steadily  for  six 
hours  over  a  hilly  country  covered  with  the  very  densest  of 
forest  and  undergrowth,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  horrid  drizzle. 
"We  had  to  get  along  by  means  of  the  buffalo  tracks,  in  con- 
stant danger  of  stumbling  on  the  dangerous  brutes  themselves. 
Sometimes  we  had  Literally  to  crawl  below  the  bushes,  and 
we  were  soon  in  a  most  filthy  condition  with  dirt  and  wet. 
At  midday  we  struck  the  small  marshy  valley  of  the  Mar- 
moset, and  we  got  on  a  little  better  after  that. 

Next  day  we  began  the  descent  of  the  western  aspect  of 
the  Lykipia  plateau,  and  our  hopes  were  greatly  raised  on 
striking  a  small  stream  and  valley  which  evidently  ran 
towards  Baringo.  This  we  identified  as  the  Guaso  Teen. 
Buffaloes,  zebras,  elephants,  and  rhinoceroses  were  in  astonish- 
ing numbers. 

The  following  day  proved  to  be  a  very  trying  one,  though 
deserving  to  be  marked  with  a  white  stone.  Leaving  camp, 
we  passed  down  a  small  gorge  by  which  the  Teen  escapes 
from  the  valley.  Vi'e  had  not  gone  far  before  we  got  a 
"facer,"  by  reaching  a  second  gorge  running  at  right  angles, 
into  which  the  Teen  precipitates  itself,  a  depth  of  over  400 
feet,  by  a  series  of  most  picturesque  falls.  It  seemed  for  a 
time  as  if  we  were  to  be  beat ;  but  at  last,  to  our  great  joy, 
we  discovered  a  place  where  with  some  danger  we  could 
descend.     On  reaching  the  bottom,  we  found  that  the  other 

Q  2 


228  Through  Masai  Land. 

side  was  quite  as  difficult  and  dangerous  to  ascend.  But  Nil 
desperandum !  Avas  our  cry,  and  we  reached  the  top  safely, 
though  only  to  find  that,  after  about  four  hours'  hard  work, 
we  had  not  got  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  camp. 

As  I  was  pushing  on  in  front  with  Muhinna,  in  the  hope 
of  getting  a  sight  of  Baringo,  which  we  had  now  been 
anxiously  expecting  to  see  for  the  last  two  days,  we  suddenly 
sighted  two  buffaloes.  I  had  not  my  own  rifle,  but  I  seized 
Muhinna's,  and  fired.  Eather  to  my  surprise  it  dropped  at 
once.  As  its  companion  stood  bewildered  at  the  unwonted 
sound,  I  crammed  another  cartridge  into  the  Snider,  and 
fired  at  it,  and,  like  the  other,  it  dropped  where  it  stood. 
Going  up  to  them,  I  found  them  to  be  two  fine  bulls,  both 
shot  through  the  shoulder.  On  their  seeing  us,  it  was  terrible 
to  witness  the  mighty  struggles  of  the  monsters  to  reach  us 
and  die  revenged.  How  they  writhed  and  drew  themselves 
together  in  demon-like  fury  !  How  their  eyes,  starting  from 
their  heads,  gleamed  Avith  concentrated  rage  and  pain !  The 
sight  made  me  shudder.  Brahim  soon  arrived,  out  of  breath, 
with  my  rifle.  I  placed  the  muzzle  on  the  skull  of  one  and 
fired ;  yet  though  the  rifle  was  a  'ST  7  Express,  with  a  steel 
core  bullet,  the  shot  did  not  even  stun  or  knock  down  the 
bull,  and  the  bullet  certainly  never  reached  near  the  brain. 
It  had  no  more  efi'ect  than  Death's  dart  on  Dr.  Hornbook's 
patient — 

"  It  just  played  dirl  on  the  bane 
But  did  nae  mair." 

Like  the  grim  Destroyer  in  that  authentic  story — 

"  I  might  as  weel  hae  try'd  a  quarry 
O'  hard  whiu  rock  !  " 

That  fact  will  show  the  reader  what  sort  of  customer  is  the 
African  buffalo.  The  horns  of  one  of  the  bulls  measured  very 
little  short  of  four  feet  from  bend  to  bend,  and  they  have 
now  found  a  home  in  Scotland. 

A  short  distance  from  this  spot  we  got  a  glimpse  of  Kenia, 
and  still  farther  on  we  were  thrown  into  raptures  by  suddenly 
emerging  from  the  dense  forest,  and  finding  ourselves  at  the 
edge  of  the  meridional  trough  which  we  had  left  at  Kekupe. 
Best  of  all,  there  was  the  mysterious  Lake  Baringo,  gleaming 
apparently  at  our  feet,  though  several  thousands  of  feet 
below. 

I  have  now  looked  upon  many  striking  and  wonderful 
lake  scenes  in  Africa.      I  have  viewed  Nyassa  from    the 


Lake  Baringo. 


229 


mountains  to  the  north,  Tanganyika  from  the  south,  the 
Bcost,  and  the  west,  Lake  Leopold  from  the  Fipa  Mountains. 
But  not  one  of  the^ie  spectacles  approaches  in  beauty,  gran- 
deur, and  variety  the  landscape  that  now  spread  out  before 
me  on  the  edge  of  the  Lykipia  plateau.  Imagine,  if  you  can, 
a  trough  or  depression  3300  feet  above  the  sea-level,  and 
twenty  miles  broad,  the  mountains  rising  with  very  great 
abruptness  on  both  sides  to  a  height  of  9000  feet.  In  the 
centre  of  this  depression  lies  a  dazzling  expanse  of  water, 
glittering  like  a  mirror  in  the  fierce  rays  of  a  tropical  sun. 


DISTAKT   VIBW  OF   LTKIPIA  ESOABPKSKT. 

Almost  in  its  centre  rises  a  picturesque  island,  surrounded 
by  four  smaller  islets— a  group  of  nature's  emeralds  in  a 
dazzling  setting  of  burnished  silver.  Eound  the  irregular- 
shaped  lake  appears  a  strip  of  pale  green,  which  indicates  a 
marshy  border,  and  in  an  outer  circle  extending  up  to  the 
mountains,  spreads  a  very  dark  green  area  which  you  know 
to  be  table-topped  acacia-trees.  A  remarkable  assemblage  of 
straight  lines,  wall-like  extensions,  and  angular  outlines  pro- 
duces an  impressive  and  quite  unique  landscape.  It  speaks 
eloquently,  however,  of  igneous  disturbances;— for  there  you 
observe   numerous  earth   movements,   faults   crossing'  each 


230  Through  Masai  Land. 

other  at  right  angles,  and  other  features,  which  are  clearly 
not  modelled  by  surface  agents,  all  of  them  so  recent  in 
origin  as  to  remain  comparatively  untouched  by  the  hand  of 
time,  which  seems  to  abhor  anything  approaching  a  straight 
line. 

Such  is  the  lake  and  the  depression.  Casting  our  eyes 
further  afield,  we  observe  that  the  mountains  which  form  the 
opposite  side  of  the  trough  really  constitute  a  sharp,  narrow 
range  like  a  Brobdignagian  earthwork,  striking  off  at  an 
acute  angle  from  the  Mau  escarpment,  which  is  the  true 
counterpart  of  the  heights  we  now  view  the  scene  from.  The 
Mail  escarpment  is  seen  to  extend  under  the  name  of  Elgeyo, 
like  a  second  line  of  colossal  earthworks,  behind  Kamasia — 
the  name  of  the  mountain  range  I  have  just  referred  to — till 
at  a  certain  point,  like  a  huge  billow  which  heaps  itself  up 
on  nearing  the  shore,  it  rises  into  a  great  range  running  at 
right  angles  to  the  escarpment.  This  high  range  is  known 
as  Maragwet  and  Chibcharagnani.  The  narrow  trough  in 
Avhich  lies  the  lake  widens  out  considerably  towards  the 
north,  though  some  distance  beyond  a  picturesque  range, 
known  as  the  Suk  Mountains,  lies  almost  at  right  angles 
across  the  depression,  and  seems  to  close  it  in  entirely.  Here 
and  there,  to  the  north  of  the  lake,  appear  a  number  of  less 
conspicuous  hills,  while  away  beyond  in  the  far  horizon  are 
to  be  seen  various  isolated  masses,  described  as  those  of 
Tiirkan  (Elgumi),  ISTyiro,  and  Lorian. 

When  we  had  thoroughly  engraved  on  our  minds  the 
main  outlines  of  the  scene,  we  began  to  cast  about  in  our 
thoughts  how  to  descend  to  the  lake.  It  seemed  as  if  a 
couple  of  hours  should  bring  us  to  its  shores.  But,  alas  !  we 
reckoned  without  our  host.  "Where  we  were  it  was  almost  a 
sheer  precipice,  and  to  descend  there  was  out  of  the  question. 
Keeping  along  the  edge  of  the  plateau  for  some  distance,  we 
at  last,  after  an  hour's  search,  came  upon  a  place  where  a 
faintly  traceable  line  showed  that  some  game  had  been  able 
to  descend.  At  that  moment  I  was  alone  with  Brahim  and 
Songoro.  Leaving  them  behind  to  direct  the  others  when 
they  should  turn  up,  I  started  down  to  see  if  the  path  was 
quite  practicable.  The  desert  was  excessively  steep  ;  but  by 
exercising  great  care  I  did  reach  the  bottom  safely.  When 
there,  I  was  hailed  from  above,  and  by  their  signs  I  under- 
stood they  had  found  another  pathway. 

Though  quite  unarmed  and  alone,  I  was  not  alarmed,  and 
thinking  I  should  strike  upon  their  pathway  farther  ahead,  I 


Unenviable  Solitude.  231 

started  off.  The  country  was  most  horrible,  with  sharp 
angular  boulders  hid  by  grass  and  thorns  of  the  most  fearful 
description.  The  afternoon  was  now  far  spent,  and  after 
tramping  along  in  that  dangerous  waste  for  about  an  hour 
and  seeing  no  sign  of  a  place  where  my  men  could  descend, 
I  began  to  get  a  little  uneasy  in  my  mind.  Not  a  soul  could 
be  seen,  and  buffalo  and  rhinoceros  were  in  great  numbers, 
starting  up  indeed  in  more  than  one  instance  quite  close  to 
me.  I  shouted,  but  a  mocking  echo  alone  answered  me. 
My  courage  gradually  oozed  away,  and  I  was  feeling  some- 
thing like  a  panic  taking  possession  of  me.  Seeing  that 
there  was  no  chance  of  falling  in  with  Makatubu,  I  at  last 
hurried  back,  in  the  hope  that  my  attendants  had  followed 
me.  I  shouted  with  renewed  energy,  but  the  only  effect  was 
to  further  unhinge  myself.  I  was  tired  and  extremely 
hungry,  for  I  had  been  on  my  feet  for  ten  hours  in  the 
roughest  region  I  had  yet  met,  climbing  up  precipices,  crush- 
ing my  way  through  dense  bush,  stumbling  over  hidden 
boulders,  scratching  myself  with  wretched  thorns.  Night 
was  approaching,  and  I  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  I 
was  beyond  all  doubt  lost,  without  food  or  means  of  defence. 
I  was  casting  about  for  a  convenient  tree  in  which  to  stow 
myself  for  the  night,  but  before  finally  succumbing  I  gave 
one  long  halloo.  No  sound  came  back  to  me  but  the  rever- 
beration of  my  own  voice,  though  long  I  stood  breathlessly 
listening  for  some  welcome  note.  In  the  awful  silence  my 
heart  sank  within  me,  Just  as  I  turned  away  in  despair  the 
bang  of  a  gun  came  as  music  to  my  ear.  "With  joy  I  rushed 
away  in  the  direction  of  the  sound.  Bang  went  another  shot, 
and  a  few  minutes  later  I  was  on  an  eminence,  yelling  out 
like  a  madman  to  three  men,  who  I  saw  at  a  glance  were 
Brahim,  Songoro,  and  my  cook.  They  after  all  had  followed 
me,  but  in  some  queer  fashion  we  had  missed  each  other. 

Though  tired  and  footsore,  we  now  made  a  grand  spurt  in 
the  hope  of  emerging  from  the  narrow  valley,  in  which  we 
were,  to  the  plain  around  Baringo.  Leaving  the  former,  and 
following  a  fine  stream  which  we  knew  must  go  to  Baringo, 
we  entered  a  gorge  of  the  narrowest  and  wildest  description. 
Every  available  foot  of  ground  was  covered  with  the  densest 
of  thom-bush.  We  had  a  terrible  time  of  it,  pushing  our 
way  along,  the  game  tunnels  eternally  crossing  and  recrossing 
the  river.  Darkness  came  on  at  last,  and  it  had  been  raining 
heavily  for  some  time.  We  were  therefore  compelled  to  halt 
in  the  narrow  gorge.     With  buffaloes  and  rhinoceroses  in 


232  Through  Masai  Land. 

great  numbers,  we  were  in  no  small  peiil.  By  a  good  deal 
of  groping  about  we  contrived  to  gather  some  firewood  to- 
gether, but  then  to  our  dismay  we  had  only  three  matches 
and  these  bad,  while  we  could  find  nothing  but  damp  grass. 
Before  venturing  to  strike  we  held  a  consultation  as  to  who 
was  the  best  at  striking  a  light.  Brahim  was  chosen.  The 
scene  was  very  strange  as  we  gathered  round  him  in  breath- 
less interest,  in  the  almost  pitchy  darkness  of  tlie  night,  with 
great  sycamores  overhead,  and  dense  bush  around  haunted 
by  wild  beasts.  The  mountain  torrent  roared  and  tumbled 
over  its  rocky  channel,  and  the  night- wind  sighed  along  the 
face  of  the  hill,  or  brought  a  weird  sough  from  the  gorge 
below.  The  first  match  was  struck,  there  was  a  faint  flicker, 
and  then  darkness.  With  an  imprecation  Brahim  threw  it 
savagely  aside,  and  we  all  indulged  in  expletives,  each  "  after 
his  kind."  The  second  attempt  was  watched  with  further 
excitement,  but  it  went  like  the  other.  The  last  match  was 
taken  in  hand.  To  our  unspeakable  relief  it  caught.  Nursing 
it  as  if  it  were  divine  fire,  I  kept  leaves  of  my  note-books 
burning  till  some  twigs  ignited.  In  a  short  time  we  were 
drying  ourselves  before  a  glorious  fire,  and  under  its  genial 
influence  we  were  quite  prepared  to  think  our  situation  a  piece 
of  rather  good  fun,  as  we  each  munched  about  a  mouthful  of 
Indian  corn,  a  very  little  of  which  we  had  been  able  to  get 
from  a  friendly  Masai  at  Guaso  ]S'yiro.  The  rain  fortunately 
stopped,  and,  setting  a  watch,  we  were  able  to  enjoy  a  snatch 
of  sleep,  only  broken  at  intervals  by  the  movements  of  some 
buffalo  or  rhinoceros  whose  nightly  rambles  had  been  dis- 
turbed by  our  blazing  tire. 

Next  morning  we  were  off  with  the  dawn,  expecting  every 
moment  to  emerge  from  the  gorge.  After  a  two-hours' 
fearful  scramble,  during  which  we  crossed  the  large  stream 
over  thirty  times,  and  got  our  clothes  and  our  skin  sadly 
torn,  we  were  taken  aback  by  reaching  a  precipice  which 
could  not  be  surmounted,  and  there  was  nothing  for  it  but 
to  ascend  the  mountain.  This  would  have  been  impossible, 
so  densely  was  it  covered  with  thorns,  but  for  the  sword  of 
Brahim,  who  literally  cut  a  way  for  us.  It  required  six 
hours'  hard  work  over  the  worst  country  I  have  ever  traversed 
before  we  reached  the  graziiig-grounds  of  the  Wa-kwafi  of 
Njemps,  and,  accosting  some  herdboys,  were  directed  on  our 
way.  Crossing  a  fine  stream  by  a  rude  bridge,  we  reached 
Njemps  Mdogo  (the  little),  and  here  Muhinna  met  some 
friends  of  former  days.     An  hour  more  and  we  neared  the 


A  PLEASANT  Eesting-place.  233 

confines  of  Xjemps  Mkuhwa  (the  big).  Our  last  cartridge 
was  fired,  and  before  long  we  had  crossed  the  Guaso  Tigi- 
rish,  and  entered  our  encampment,  to  find  a  nice  house  irnder 
a  cool  sycamore,  and  Martin  and  the  men  all  well  and  hearty, 
though  full  of  anxious  misgivings  about  our  safety.  We 
had  been  thii-ty-four  hours  without  food,  but  we  were  soon 
feeding  like  princes  on — to  us — rich  dishes  of  "  animated 
mire  "  (for  Burton's  description  of  certain  fish  might  well  be 
applied  to  those  of  Baringo),  and  a  kind  of  porridge  formed 
from  a  species  of  mill<  t.     This  was  indeed  glorious  fare  after 


CAMP   AT   jrjSlCPS. 

the  old  shoe-leather-like  beef  of  the  buffalo  and  the  moi« 
juicy  than  savory  messes  of  diseased  Masai  cattle,  on  which 
we  had  been  regaling  for  the  last  mouth.  As  for  Makatubu 
and  the  thirty  men,  they  waudcfL-d  about  for  two  days 
longer,  utterly  lost  and  almost  starved,  trying  to  find  a  way 
down.  After  leaving  me,  they  had  found  themselves  in  a 
cul-de-sac. 


234  Through  Masai  Land. 

CHAPTER  X. 

MASAI    LAND    AND    THE    MASAI. 

Let  the  reader  imagine  us  now,  after  weeks  of  hardship, 
danger,  and  worry,  enjoying  a  well-earned  holiday.  We 
were  once  more  among  most  pleasing  natives,  who  recalled 
by  their  honesty,  their  unassuming  ways,  and  their  charming, 
unsophisticated  manners,  the  delightful  Arcadians  of  Taveta 
— to  whom,  indeed,  they  are  allied  by  blood.  It  required 
but  the  gorgeous  vegetation,  and  the  rich  supplies  of  food, 
to  make  our  position  quite  as  agreeable  as  among  the  Wa- 
taveta.  One  thing  above  all  we  thoroughly  appreciated. 
"We  were  safe  from  the  ferocious  and  arrogant  warriors  of 
the  Masai  country,  "We  could  ramble  about  without  guns 
or  attendants,  doze  over  the  babbling  Guaso  Tigirish,  under 
shady  sycamores,  and  read  a  favourite  poet,  or  pretend  to 
catch  the  wary  denizens  of  the  liquid  deeps.  How  glorious 
it  was  to  loll  about  in  all  the  Bohemian  abandon  permissible 
in  Central  Africa — to  swing  in  a  hammock,  contemplating 
our  toes  or  gazing  into  space  as  we  enwrapped  ourselves  in 
dolce  far  niente  dreams  !  In  such  circumstances  we  could 
vow  to  ourselves  that  African  travelling  was  not  such  a  bad 
thing  after  all — though  pictures  of  home,  friends,  and  country 
would  somehow  project  themselves  on  the  magic  screen  of 
memory — and  impart  an  element  of  pleasing  melancholy  to 
our  thoughts. 

At  other  times  we  bethought  ourselves  that  we  Averc 
travelling  with  scientific  objects  in  view,  and  in  our  imagina- 
tion we  would  go  up  in  a  balloon  and  try  to  focus  the 
country  and  to  form  a  comprehensive  picture  or  a  bird's-eye 
view  of  the  region  we  had  traversed.  Then,  again,  as  the 
mood  changed,  we  would  glide  into  reverie  over  the  strange 
ways  of  the  peoples  we  had  seen,  musing  within  ourselves  as 
to  what  this  or  that  meant,  and  otherwise  striving  to  fathom 
the  queer  problems  presented  by  the  many  aspects  of  savage 
life. 

Let  me  make  a  corresponding  pause  in  the  career  of  my 
narrative  while  I  attempt  to  give  you  some  of  the  results  of 
my  Njemps  cogitations,  that  you  may  learn  more  in  detail 
what  kind  of  people  we  have  visited  in  each  other's  com- 
pany, and  make  quite  sure  that  you  have  a  clear  idea  of  the 
general  physical  features  of  the  region.  In  other  words,  let 
me,  in  the  pages  of  this  chapter,  describe  to  you  the  Masai 
and  their  country. 


23G  Through  Masai  Land. 

Let  us  take  the  country  first. 

The  Masai  country  is  very  markedly  divided  into  two 
quite  distinct  regions,  the  southerly  or  lower  desert  area 
and  the  northerly  or  plateau  region.  The  southerly  is  com- 
paratively low  in  altitude,  that  is  to  say,  from  3000  to  nearly 
4000  feet.  It  is  sterile  and  unproductive  in  the  extreme. 
This  is  owing,  not  to  a  barren  soil,  but  to  the  scantiness  of 
the  rainfall,  which  for  about  three  months  in  the  year  barely 
gives  sufficient  sustenance  to  scattered  tufts  of  grass.  The 
acacia  and  mimosa  have  almost  sole  possession  of  those 
dreary  plains,  except  near  the  base  of  some  isolated  moun- 
tain, or  other  highland  where  small  rivulets  trickle  down,  to 
be  speedily  absorbed  in  the  arid  sands.  JN'o  river  traverses 
this  region,  and  many  parts  are  covered  with  incrustations  of 
natron,  left  by  the  evaporation  of  salt-charged  springs.  We 
have  seen  something  of  this  lower  region  in  the  fiat  reach  of 
iSTjiri,  and  the  forbidding  desert  of  Dogilani. 

It  is  not,  however,  to  be  conceived  as  a  monotonous  level. 
Far  from  it.  The  collossal  Kilimanjaro,  and  the  conical 
Mount  Meru  belong  to  it.  The  hills  of  Gelei  and  the  Guaso 
N'Ebor  circle  round  in  the  form  of  an  amphitheatre,  to  meet 
the  metamorphic  masses  of  Ndapduk  and  Donyo  Erok. 
Further  to  the  west  and  north  are  the  volcanic  masses  of 
Donyo  Engai,  Donyo  la  Nyuki,  and  Donyo  Logonot,  with 
the  hills  of  jS'guruma-ni. 

Except  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  higher  mountains, 
such  as  Mount  Meru  and  Donyo  Engai,  the  country  is  to  a 
large  extent  uninhabited.  To  summarize  this  tract  we  may 
say  that  it  is  triangular  in  general  shape,  the  apex  towards 
the  north,  reaching  to  within  thirty  miles  of  the  equator, 
and  extending  beyond  to  Baringo  as  a  species  of  trough  or 
deep,  irregitlar  cutting.  The  Masai  are  only  to  be  found  at 
all  seasons  about  such  favourable  situations  as  the  base  of 
Kilimanjaro,  Mount  Meru,  Ndapduk,  Gelei,  Kisongo,  to  the 
west  of  Meru,  Uonyo  Engai,  and  along  the  edge  of  the  plain 
at  the  bases  of  the  bordering  highlands  Mau  and  Kapte. 

The  country  is  sufficiently  characterized  when  the  fact  is 
stated  that  it  is  a  region  of  later  volcanic  activity,  which  in 
a  very  recent  geological  period  has  i)rodiiced  the  cones  and 
craters  already  referred  to.  These  results  of  volcanic  energy 
may,  to  some  extent,  be  accounted  for — though  the  state- 
ment may  seem  to  savour  of  reasoning  in  a  circle — by  the 
lower  region  as  an  area  of  depression  having  subsided  or 
sunk  from  the  higher  level  of  the  flanking  table-lands. 


The  Fertile  Aeea  op  Masai  Land.     237 

The  northerly  or  higher  plateau  region  of  Masai  Land  may 
be  described  as  rising  from  an  elevation  of  nearly  5000  feet 
on  either  side,  and  culminating  in  the  centre  at  an  elevation 
of  little  short  of  9000  feet — although  through  this  very  line 
of  highest  elevation  runs  from  the  Dogilani  plain  the  re- 
markable meridional  trough  which  encloses  the  charming 
chain  of  isolated  lakes,  Xaivasha,  Elmeteita,  Xakuro,  and 
Baringo ;  and  which,  at  the  last-named  place,  begins  to 
widen  out  till  it  assumes  the  characteristics  of  the  southerly 
plain  of  Masai  Land. 

On  the  eastern  half  of  this  divided  plateau  rises,  as  we 
have  seen,  the  snow-clad  peak  of  Kenia — and  the  picturesque 
range  of  the  Aberdare  Mountains,  which  rims  almost  parallel 
with  the  central  line  of  depression.  A  more  charming  region 
is  probably  not  to  be  found  in  all  Africa,  probably  not  even 
in  Abyssinia.  Though  lying  at  a  general  elevation  of  6000 
feet,  it  is  not  mountainous,  but  extends  out  in  billowy,  swell- 
ing reaches,  and  is  characterized  by  everything  that  makes 
a  pleasing  landscape.  Here  are  dense  patches  of  flowering 
shrubs ;  there  noble  forests.  Now  you  traverse  a  park-like 
country  enlivened  by  groups  of  game ;  anon,  great  herds  of 
cattle,  or  flocks  of  sheep  and  goats  are  seen  wandering  knee- 
deep  in  the  splendid  pasture.  There  is  little  in  the  aspect 
of  the  country  to  suggest  the  popular  idea  of  the  Tropics. 
The  eye  rests  upon  coniferous  trees,  forming  pine-like  woods, 
and  you  can  gather  sprigs  of  heath,  sweet-scented  clover, 
anemone,  and  other  familiar  forms.  In  vain  you  look  for 
the  graceful  palm — ever  present  in  the  mental  pictures  of 
the  imtraveUed  traveller.  The  country  is  a  very  network  of 
babbling  brooks  and  streams — those  of  Lykipia  forming  the 
mysterious  Guaso  Xyiro ;  those  of  Kikuyu  the  Tana,  which 
flows  to  the  Indian  Ocean  through  the  Galla  coxmtry ;  while 
further  south  in  Kapte  the  streams  converge  to  form  the 
Athi  River,  which  flows  through  U-kambani  to  the  Sabaki 
River. 

Kiku}n.i  occupies  the  higher  areas  of  the  eastern  half  of 
the  plateau,  cutting  across  it  immediately  south  of  the 
equator.  Some  of  the  higher  parts  are  covered  with  a  dense 
forest  of  bamboo;  notably  to  the  east  of  Xaivasha,  and 
between  it  and  the  Aberdare  Mountains.  Hence  the 
Swahili  name  of  one  recruiting-place — Mianzi-ni  (Bamboo 
Country). 

The  greater  part  of  Lykipia — and  that  the  richer  portion 
— is  quite    uninhabited,  owing,  in  a  great  degree,  to  the 


238  Through  Masai  Land. 

decimation  of  the  Masai  of  that  part,  through  their  intestine 
wars — a  fact  that  has  caused  them  to  retreat  from  the 
northerly  districts,  which  are  in  dangerous  proximity  to  the 
Wa-suk. 

The  Masai  country,  so  called,  may  be  said  to  include  the 
area  lying  between  1°  N.  lat.,  and  5°  S.  In  breadth  it  is 
very  irregular ;  but  if  we  say  that  the  average  is  ninety  miles, 
we  shall  be  pretty  near  the  truth.  In  this,  however,  we  are 
including  several  isolated  areas  occupied  either  by  tribes 
wholly  different  from  the  Masai,  or  by  the  agricultural  Wa- 
kwafi,  who  are  mere  off-shoots  of  the  Masai. 

The  rainfall  is  very  small  over  the  greater  part  of  this 
large  area.  Only  an  approximate  guess,  of  course,  can  be 
given — but  I  think  I  am  within  the  mark  in  placing  the 
rainfall  of  the  lower  desert  region  at  fifteen  inches,  and  the 
higher  plateau  areas  at  from  thirty  to  forty  inches  in  the 
year.  During  the  fourteen  months  in  which  I  travelled  in 
that  region  my  caravan  was  not  caught  ten  times  on  the 
march  by  rain, — a  striking  contrast  to  my  experience  in  the 
region  further  south,  where,  for  weeks  together,  rain  was 
incessant.  The  rains  are  almost  entirely  confined  to  February, 
March,  and  April.  The  consequence  of  this  insignificant 
rainfall  is,  as  we  have  seen,  that  the  lower  plains  are  practi- 
cally desert,  though  the  soil  is  of  the  richest  nature.  There 
are  absolutely  no  marshes,  with  their  physical  discomforts 
and  poisonous  exhalations  breeding  disease  and  death.  The 
air  is  dry  and  invigorating,  and  though  the  days  are  hot  yet 
the  breezes  blow  with  refreshing  coolness,  and  a  night  of 
low  temperature — and  even  frequently  of  intense  cold — 
braces  one  up  for  the  fatigues  of  the  garish  day.  The  contrast, 
indeed,  is  felt  to  be  just  a  little  too  great,  when  you  rise, 
shivering,  in  the  morning,  to  see  the  grass  covered  with  hoar 
frost,  and  then  in  the  afternoon  find  yourself  perspiring  in 
the  airiest  of  costumes,  under  a  shady  bush,  with  the  tem- 
perature above  90°  Fahr.  The  air,  however,  being  so  dry,  I 
felt  no  inconvenience  from  these  abrupt  changes,  and  it  was 
simply  wonderful  to  see  how  the  men  would  lie  in  the  open 
air  without  a  shred  of  clothing,  and  with  the  temperature  at 
the  freezing-point. 

At  the  high  altitudes  of  this  plateau  region,  hailstorms  of 
very  great  violence  are  of  frequent  occurrence,  more  particu- 
larly in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Aberdare  ^Mountains. 
More  than  once  caravans  have  been  overtaken  by  them  while 
on  the  march,  and  great  numbers  of  the  men  killed  by  the 


The  Masai  as  a  Race.  239 

exposure ;  for  the  damp  cold  is  singularly  fatal  to  the  coast 
natives,  who,  under  its  influence,  drop  down  paralyzed,  appa- 
rently utterly  unable  to  make  the  slightest  exertion  to  better 
themselves.  On  these  occasions  you  may  beat  them  with  a 
stick  till  you  are  tired,  but  they  will  simply  put  their  heads 
between  their  knees  like  an  obstinate  doiiey,  and  whine  out, 
"  Si  wezi,"  "  Si  wezi "  (I  am  not  able).  On  my  return  march 
at  Mianzi-ni,  to  the  east  of  Xaivasha,  one  of  these  storms 
came  on,  accompanied  with  thunder  and  lightning  of  appalling 
fury  and  violence.  The  hail  fell  continuously  for  hours,  and 
when  it  ceased  the  country  was  actually  tchite,  and  remained 
so  all  night.  K  we  had  been  caught  out  in  that  storm, 
without  huts,  I  question  very  much  if  ten  men  would  have 
survived.  As  it  was,  so  utterly  paralyzed  were  they  that 
even  in  their  huts  they  allowed  their  fires  to  go  out,  and  they 
had  literally  to  be  compelled  to  bestir  themselves. 

So  much  for  Masai  Land.  Let  us  now  take  up  the  deeply 
interesting  subject  of  the  inhabitants. 

In  dealing  with  the  maimers  and  customs  of  this  remark- 
able race,  I  think  I  shall  best  picture  them  to  the  reader  not 
by  describing  them  in  catalogue  fashion,  but  by  setting 
forth  the  prominent  facts  in  the  life  history  of  a  male  and 
female  Masai,  tracing  their  career  in  the  varioiis  epochs  of 
their  savage  existence,  and  trying  to  understand  their  ideas 
of  man  and  nature,  and  their  sociological  relations. 

But  first  of  all,  let  me  say  a  few  words  more  immediately 
descriptive  of  the  Masai  as  a  race.  Learned  philologists 
profess  to  have  discovered  from  a  study  of  the  Masai  lan- 
guage— and  I  suppose  the  theory  may  be  accepted  as  correct 
— that  it  belongs  to  the  Hamitic  family,  as  does  also  the 
language  spoken  by  the  tribes  of  the  Nile  and  North  Africa. 
This  seems  to  be  the  only  clue  to  their  family  relationship, 
and  it  reveals  very  little.  The  reader,  therefore,  will  clearly 
understand  that  the  Masai  are  in  no  sense  negroes,  or  allied 
to  the  Bantu  tribes  with  which  he  is  so  fannliar  from  the 
works  of  our  most  prominent  later  African  travellers.  In 
their  cranial  development,  as  in  their  language,  they  are 
widely  different  from  the  natives  of  Central  and  South  Africa, 
occupying  in  the  former  respect  a  far  higher  position  in  the 
scale  of  humanity. 

The  Masai  tribe  is  di\'ided  into  about  twelve  principal 
clans  or  sub-tribes,  with  numerous  smaller  divisions.  These 
have  not  all  the  same  position  in  Masai  society,  some  clans 
having  more  "blue"  blood,  and  being  reckoned  of  purer 


240  Through  Masai  Land. 

breed  than  others.  The  most  aristocratic  of  these  clans  are 
the  ]S"gaje-Masai,  Molilian,  Lysere,  and  Leteyo.  These  have 
the  finest  physical  development,  and  are  undoubtedly  superior 
to  the  others  in  the  shape  of  the  head,  the  less  depressed 
nose,  and  thinner  lips.  Indeed, — but  for  the  prominence  of 
the  cheek-bones,  a  tendency  to  a  Mongolian  shape  and  up- 
ward slant  of  the  eyes,  the  chocolate- coloured  skin,  and  the 
hair  with  a  tendency  to  become  frizzy — they  might  pass 
muster  as  very  respectable  and  commonplace  Europeans. 
The  N'gaje-Masai  are  the  purest  breed,  and  are  to  be  found 
chiefly  around  Kilimanjaro.  The  most  degraded  tribe  physi- 
cally is  that  which  is  known  to  the  coast  traders  by  the 
name  of  Wa-kwafi.  They  seem  to  have  acquired  a  strain  of 
negro  blood,  as  will  be  perceived  by  an  examination  of  the 
photograph  of  the  Masai  of  Lykipia  (p.  205).  The  higher 
development  of  the  Ngaje-Masai  is  seen  in  the  photo  of  an 
aristocratic  woman  of  Njiri. 

The  country  is  divided  into  about  ten  principal  districts, 
such  as  Sigirari,  ISTjiri,  Matumbato,  Kapte,  Dogilani,  Lykipia, 
Guas'  Ngishu,  &c.  The  various  members  of  the  race  are 
generally  designated  by  their  native  district.  Various  clans 
may  be  found  occupying  the  same  district,  but  they  usually 
keep  in  distinct  kraals.  Hence  they  speak  of  the  "  El-Masai 
Matumbato,"  or  El-Masai  Kapte.  Each  district  also  is  fur- 
ther distinguished  by  having  special  heraldic  devices  on  the 
shields  of  the  Avarriors,  painted  with  wonderful  skill  and 
taste  in  black,  white,  red,  or  yellow  colours.  Between  the 
various  sections  of  the  tribe  there  is  not  the  slightest  cohesion. 
Wars  among  themselves  are  of  constant  occnirfence,  though 
when  a  state  of  war  is  not  declared,  they  are  on  the  most 
friendly  terms, — their  feuds  not  being  of  that  deep-seated 
character  which  distinguishes  those  of  semi-civilized  lands. 

Of  these  internal  wars  none  have  been  so  disastrous  or  so 
oft-repeated  as  that  between  the  main  mass  of  the  Masai  and 
the  Wa-kwafi  (I  here  use  the  name  for  convenience).  The 
original  home  of  the  latter  was  the  large  district  lying 
between  Kilimanjaro,  Ugono,  and  Pare  on  the  west,  and 
Teita  and  U-sambara  on  the  east.  This  large  region  is  known 
to  the  Masai  as  Mbaravui.  Some  fifty  years  ago  the  Wa- 
kwafi  were  numerous  and  strong,  able  to  hold  their  own 
against  all  comers.  About  1830 — as  far  as  I  can  gather — a 
series  of  misfortunes  fell  upon  them.  In  a  great  war-raid 
against  the  Wa-gogo  to  the  south  they  suffered  a  severe 
repulse,  and  great  numbers  were  slaughtered.      The  same 


The  Wa-kwafi. 


241 


disaster  fell  upon  them  shortly  after,  in  a  raid  against  their 
brethren  of  Kisongo.  The  saying  that  misfortunes  never 
come  singly  was  well  exemplified  by  their  case,  for  nature 
took  up  the  work  of  ruin.  A  cloud  of  locusts  settled  on  the 
land,  and  left  not  a  blade  of  grass  or  other  green  thing,  so 
that  the  cattle  died  in  enormous  numbers  through  starvation. 


KASAI  ICABKIED  W03IAV,  KJIBI. 

"While  the  "Wa-kwafi  were  in  this  unhappy  plight,  the  Masai 
of  the  plains  to  the  west  fell  upon  them  and  smote  them  hip 
and  thigh,  and  thus  broke  up  and  revenged  themselves  upon 
the  most  powerful  division  of  the  triljc.  Great  numbers 
having  lost  their  cattle  and  been  reduced  to  starvation,  were 
compelled  to  throw  in  their  fortimes  with  tribes  they  had 
hitherto  despised.  Some  found  an  asylum  in  the  forests  of 
Taveta  and  Kahe,  and  the  lower  slopes  of  Blount  !Meru  or 


242  Through  Masai  Land. 

Arusha-wa-juu.  Others,  driven  south,  threw  in  their  lot 
Avith  the  Wa-zeguha,  keeping  tribally  more  or  less  distinct 
from  them.  These  are  the  hybrid  tribes  visited  lately  by 
the  energetic  missionaries,  Messrs.  Last  and  Baxter,  and  of 
which  such  interesting  accounts  have  been  given  in  the 
"Proceedings  of  the  Eoyal  Geographical  Society."  Another 
section  of  the  Wa-kwafi  was  driven  westward,  and  now 
forms  the  colonies  of  Nderserria-ni  and  Nguruma-ni.  The 
establishment  of  these  colonies  has  been  an  unmitigated 
blessing  to  the  country.  In  every  case  they  have  become 
the  centres  of  trade,  where  men's  lives  and  gooods  are  safe ; 
and  indeed  there  is  no  more  striking  feature  in  the  results  of 
the  enforced  change  in  the  people's  mode  of  life  than  the 
remarkable  development  of  peaceable  habits  and  honest 
Avays.  This  shows  what  the  Masai,  from  their  distinctly 
higher  mental  development,  are  capable  of,  when  cut  away 
from  their  traditions  and  brought  under  conditions  more 
favourable  to  their  advancement  towards  civilization.  As 
throwing  light  on  the  origin  of  minor  races  and  the  blending 
of  two  distinct  types  as  at  Taveta,  the  subject  is  an  interest- 
ing study. 

The  Wa-kwafi  were  not  all  scattered  thus,  however,  for  a 
large  division  of  the  clan  kejDt  together,  and  contrived  to  cut 
their  way  through  Kikuyu  and  to  reach  Lykipia,  where  they 
settled. 

Another  section  crossed  the  meridional  trough  and  reached 
the  opposite  half  of  the  plateau  in  Guas'  Ngishu.  In  both 
districts  they  found  superb  grazing-grounds  and  plenty  of 
elbow-room,  and  there  for  a  time  they  remained  quietly,  and 
increased  rapidly  in  numbers.  At  last  their  wars  began 
again.  Grown  bold,  they  attacked  the  Masai  about  fifteen 
years  ago.  The  opposing  parties  formed  regular  camps,  and 
fought  pitched  battles  with  great  fury,  thousands  being 
killed  on  both  sides.  The  women  stood  by  and  watched, 
while  they  incited  and  urged  on  the  combatants  in  their 
terrible  hand-to-hand  encounters.  The  Masai  were  at  first 
beaten,  but,  fighting  with  the  stubbornness  of  despair,  they 
disputed  every  foot  of  ground.  They  were  driven  from  the 
whole  of  Naivasha  and  Kinangop,  and  their  enemies,  still 
victorious,  carried  the  war  into  Kapte.  ^Matters  now  changed, 
however.  The  Masai  of  the  entire  region  to  the  south 
gathered  together  and  came  to  the  assistance  of  their  brethren 
of  Kapte.  Soon  the  tables  were  turned,  and  the  Wa-kwafi 
>vere  gradually  forced  back.     The  great  majority  of  them 


A  Masai  Dwelling.  243 

were  killed,  and  the  cattle  driven  off.  Famine  came  upon 
them,  and  they  were  reduced  to  the  terrible  necessity  of 
selling  their  children.  Large  numbers  took  refuge  at  Njemps 
and  Xyiro,  where  they  had  to  bow  themselves  to  the  culti- 
vation of  the  soil  The  war  lasted  several  years.  At  last 
only  a  remnant  of  the  Wa-kwafi  of  Lykipia  were  left,  and 
these  contrived  to  make  peace.  Not  so  fortunate  were  those 
of  Guas'  Xgishu.  The  Masai  swept  from  north  to  south, 
and  left  not  a  man  in  the  entire  land,  those  who  escaped  the 
spear  and  sword  finding  refuge  in  Kavirondo. 

Such  is  the  history  of  the  bloody  feud  between  the  Masai 
clans.  Xow  they  live  peaceably  together,  with  kraals  in 
friendly  proximity. 

Having  thus  conveyed  to  the  reader  some  general  notions 
about  the  tribe  as  a  whole,  we  may  now  conveniently  turn 
to  follow  with  the  eye  of  our  imagination  the  life-history 
of  one  of  its  members. 

Very  many  years  ago  a  matron  of  the  Masai  lay  in  what 
is  pleasingly  described  as  an  "  interesting  condition."  Her 
environment  was  not  of  a  luxurious  or  even  comfortable 
nature.  She  lay  on  no  better  a  bed  than  a  dressed  bullock's 
hide  spread  on  the  bare  ground.  The  hut  which  protected 
her  from  the  blazing  sun  or  the  cold  night  was  not  built  on 
sanitary  principles,  and  was  not  commodious.  It  reached  a 
maximum  height  of  three  feet  and  a  half,  and  might  be  nine 
feet  long  by  five  feet  broad.  It  was  constructed  of  boughs 
bent  over  and  interwoven  together,  forming-  a  flat-roofed 
building  with  rounded  comers.  To  keep  out  the  wind  a 
composition  of  cow's  dung  was  liberally  plastered  over  the 
boughs.  This  sufiiced  for  the  dry  season,  but  for  the  rainy 
one  a  further  covering  of  hides  had  to  be  laid  upon  it.  The 
doorway  was  of  the  smallest,  and  stood  at  right  angles  to  the 
line  of  the  house  in  the  manner  of  a  porch.  The  hut  of  the 
expectant  Masai  lady  was  one  of  a  circle  enclosing  a  con- 
siderable area,  in  which  the  cattle  were  kept  during  the 
night.  As  this  central  space  was  never  swept  up,  its  con- 
dition may  be  better  imagined  than  described.  The  smells 
were  strikingly  suggestive  of  the  farmyard ;  and  if  the  reader 
is  so  inclined,  he  may  imagine  some  charming  picture  of 
full-uddered  kine,  with  their  mild  eyes  and  expression  of 
repose  as  they  contentedly  chew  the  cud.  For  any  such 
picture,  however,  I  can  accept  no  responsibility.  Outside 
the  circle  of  huts  there  extends  a  strong  fence  of  thorns  as  a 
protection  from  wild  beasts,  and  in  case  of  an  attack.     Inside 

B  2 


244  THROxrGH  Masai  Land. 

the  hut  were  gathered  together  the  gossips  of  the  kraal, 
mingling,  so  far  as  space  permitted,  with  calves  and  goats. 
A  number  of  large  calabashes  lay  in  one  corner,  and  a 
coarsely-made  earthen  cooking-pot  in  another.  Fleas  in 
thousands  skipped  about,  and  the  midwives  had  their  time 
well  taken  up  with  the  myriads  of  flies  Avhich  pertinaciously 
would  insist  on  cultivating  personal  intimacy  with  them. 

The  anticipated  event  passed  over  safely.  Indeed,  the 
whole  affair  was  hardly  thought  worthy  of  remark,  except  on 
the  part  of  the  mother,  who  heard  with  deep  pleasure  that  her 
offspring  was  a  boy.  Girls  are  sadly  at  a  discount  among 
the  Masai.  They  would  always  prefer  to  have  boys,  but 
happily  nature  sees  ahead  a  little,  and  takes  care  that  a  fair 


MASAI   EBIAL,   DOirrO  LONGONOT   IN   DISTANCE. 

supply  of  girls  is  provided.  As  there  is  no  registrar  or  birth 
column,  I  am  totally  unable  to  state  when  our  hero  first  saw 
the  light.  That,  however,  is  a  small  matter.  No  particular 
ceremonies  marked  the  occasion,  and  the  happy  mother  was 
about  next  day,  attending  to  her  household  duties  as  if 
nothing  unusual  had  happened,  the  little  stranger  being 
warmly  ensconced  on  her  back  beneath  the  bullock's  hide 
which  formed  the  mother's  garment. 

Eabies  are  babies  everywhere,  and  for  the  first  year  or  two 
the  embryo  warrior  grappled  with  the  problem  of  life  like  a 
philosopher  as  he  sucked  his  mother's  milk.  Then  he  spoke. 
Having  next  found  his  legs,  he  grew  apace.  Getting  above 
mother's  milk,  he  was  soon  exercising  his  incipient  teeth  on 
a  huge  chunk  of  beef.  Now  this  was  a  very  reprehensible 
indulgence  on  the  part  of  our  young  friend,  for  it  doubtless 


Masai  Boyhood. 


245 


produced  that  unpleasant  setting  of  the  teeth  which  belongs 
to  him  in  common  with  the  whole  of  his  race.  The  gums 
being  tender,  and  the  beef  tough  and  leathery,  the  teeth 
acquired  an  outward  projection  impleasant  to  behold,  and, 
what  was  still  worse,  they  seemed  to  become  separated  from 
each  other,  till  they  appeared  as  isolated  fangs.  It  was 
noticeable  also  that  his  gums  were  of  a  very  dark  blue  colour. 
Neither  of  these  characteristics,  however,  were  any  disad- 


m^' 


m- 


BAB  STBBTCflSB  AKD  BAB  OBKAICBSTS. 

vantage  to  the  young  Masai,  as  in  his  country  to  be  hideous 
is  to  be  beautiful. 

As  a  boy  ^foran — for  such  we  may  call  him  for  convenience' 
sake — was  pleasing  in  the  extreme — when  his  mouth  was 
shut.  He  was  the  \evy  ideal  of  an  imp,  and  for  diabolical 
versatility  would  doubtless  have  made  an  admirable  page, 
such  as  were  so  much  in  vogue  in  former  times.  At  a  very 
early  age  Moran  broke  away  from  his  mother's  apron-strings, 
and  with  miniature  bow  and  arrow  aped  the  bigger  boys  in 
their  play.  As  he  had  no  linen  to  soil,  he  only  roused  his 
mother's  laughter  if  he  turned  up  encrust€d  with^  filth.     He 


246  Theough  Masai  Land. 

was  not  even  put  through  the  horrors  of  the  tub.  Some- 
times, however,  his  mother,  in  a  fit  of  affection,  and  imbued 
with  the  belief  that  some  day  he  would  make  a  name  for 
himself  as  a  smasher  of  skulls  and  a  lifter  of  cattle,  would 
make  up  an  unctuous  and  odoriferous  composition  of  grease 
and  clay,  and  anoint  him  therewith  till  he  shone  forth  with  a 
splendour  dear  to  the  Masai  heart.  On  these  occasions  he 
would  strut  forth  with  all  the  pride  proper  to  a  small  boy 
who  has  just  had  a  suit  of  new  clothes. 

And  so  life  went  on,  and  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
a  boy  proper.  He  was  provided  with  a  real  bow  and  arrow. 
A  square  piece  of  sheep-skin  was  tied  over  the  left  shoulder, 
leaving  the  legs  quite  bare.  He  now  began  to  cultivate, 
not  a  moustache,  but  his  ear-lobes ;  that  is  to  say,  he  took 
means  to  stretch  them  out  till  they  would  almost  touch  his 
shoulder,  and  he  could  nearly  put  his  fist  through  the  dis- 
tended portion.  This  is  done  by  first  putting  a  slender  stick 
through  the  lobe,  and  gradually  replacing  it  by  a  bigger,  till 
a  piece  of  ivory  six  inches  long  can  be  inserted  lengthwise. 

Our  hero  now  looked  longingly  forward  to  the  day  when 
he  should  be  a  warrior ;  but  meanwhile  he  must  employ 
himself  herding  the  goats  and  sheep.  This  was  his  first 
occupation.  He  had  by  this  time  acquired  some  notion  of 
the  geography  of  the  country  around,  as  his  parents  had  not 
been  stationary,  having  been  compelled  to  move  about  from 
place  to  place  according  to  the  pasturage.  The  donkeys  on 
these  occasions  conveyed  their  household  gods,  though  his 
mother  had  to  carry  nearly  as  much,  and  build  the  hut  after. 
He  had  also  to  accompany  his  parents  in  moving  up  from 
the  plains  to  the  highlands  in  the  dry  season  and  vice  versa 
in  the  wet  season.  Beyond  these  studies  in  practical  geo- 
graphy his  education  proceeded  in  a  very  irregular  fashion. 
He  learned  something  of  the  mystery  of  the  universe  by 
hearing  his  elders  continually  howl  out  prayers  by  the  hour 
together  to  some  unseen  Being  called  Ngai  (God,  or  the 
heavens).  He  heard  also  that  the  place  of  Ngai  was  among 
the  eternal  snows  of  Kilimanjaro,  or  that  the  thunders  of 
Donyo  Ngai  (an  active  volcanic  mountain)  were  His 
voice. 

It  is  very  pleasing  to  think  of  Moran  at  this  period 
reclining  under  a  bush  or  standing  watchfully  over  his  flock 
with  one  foot  brought  up  to  his  knee  and  supported  by  his 
bow,  trying  to  penetrate  the  groat  problem  as  to  tlie  where, 
whence,  and  whither  of  life.     Wo  can  imagine  him  appeal- 


MoBAN.  247 

ing  to  his  father  to  leam  something  about  his  origin,  and 
this  I  believe  is — among  other  stories — what  he  was  told. 
The  primal  ancestor  of  the  Masai  was  one  Kidenoi,  who 
lived  at  Donyo  Egere  (Mount  Kenia),  was  hairy,  and  had  a 
tail.  Filled  with  the  spirit  of  exploration,  he  left  his  home 
and  wandered  south.  The  people  of  the  covmtr}-,  seeing  liim 
shaking  something  in  a  calabash,  were  so  struck  with  admi- 
ration at  the  wonderfiU  performance  that  they  brought  him 
women  as  a  present.  By  these  he  had  children,  who, 
strangely  enough,  were  not  hairy,  and  had  no  tails,  and 
these  were  the  progenitors  of  the  Masai.  As  Moran  had 
not  heard  anything  of  the  theories  which  were  convulsing 
scientific  Europe  and  America,  he  remained  ignorant  of  the 
fact  that  he  had  struck  upon  an  interesting  legend  which 
the  savants  of  civilized  society  would  have  given  their  beards 
to  verify. 

^Meanwhile  Moran  practised  with  the  spear,  and  killed 
iimumerable  imaginary  enemies.  He  listened  intently  with 
beating  heart  to  the  stories  of  daring  cattle-raids  and  san- 
guinary fights,  but  as  yet  he  could  only  dye  his  spear  in  the 
blood  of  an  antelope,  or,  it  might  be,  of  a  buffalo.  His  food 
still  continued  to  be  that  of  a  non-fighter,  namely,  curdled 
milk,  maize,  or  millet,  and  meat  But  vegetable  paste  was 
the  meat  of  women  and  children,  and  he  loathed  it,  though 
he  ate  it. 

As  he  approached  the  age  of  fourteen  he  began  to  develop 
a  truculent  and  ferocious  expression,  instead  of  making 
himself  sick  in  the  attempt  to  smoke  a  cigar,  or  examining 
his  upper  lip  in  the  gla^,  as  a  lad  of  proper  spirit  in  England 
would  have  done  at  the  same  age.  It  is  quite  laughable  to 
think  of  Moran  trying  to  look  dangerous,  pursing  his  brow, 
and  generally  cultivating  the  fiendish.  And  really,  I  am 
told  he  was  the  admiration  and  the  envy  of  all  the  Leon 
(boys)  of  the  district,  and  quite  won  the  hearts  of  the  girls. 

At  last  it  was  agreed  that  Moran  had  become  a  man,  and 
was  fit  to  be  a  warrior.  A  certain  rite,  better  known  in 
Africa  than  in  Europe,  was  performed ;  and  Moran  was  no 
longer  a  boy,  he  was  an  El-moran — a  warrior.  His  father, 
who  was  wealthy,  resolved  to  rig  him  out  in  the  height  of 
military  fashion.  For  this  purpose  they  journeyed  to  a 
neighbouring  settlement  of  Andorobbo — a  clan  who  are 
despised  heartily  by  their  distant  relatives,  the  aristocratic 
Masai,  on  account  of  their  ignoble  mode  of  gaining  a  livelihood 
by  the  chase.     After  making  the  Andorobbo  quake  in  their 


248  Through  Masai  Land. 

sandals,  they  chose  a  handsome  shield  of  huffalo  hide, 
beautifully  made,  elliptical  in  shape,  and  warranted  to  stand 
a  tremendous  blow  from  a  spear.  The  price  being  asked,  a 
bullock  was  mentioned  as  the  very  lowest  cost  price.  But 
the  unfortunate  maker  had  to  be  content  with  a  scraggy 
sheep — and  a  blow.  This  purchase  accomplished — for  the 
Masai  never  make  shields  or  spears,  though  there  is  nothing 
in  the  possession  of  which  they  pride  themselves  so  much — 
they  returned  to  the  kraal,  and  then  called  for  an  El-konono. 
This  is  an  inferior  race  kept  in  servitude  to  the  Masai,  for 
whom  they  make  spears  and  swords.  They  do  not  go  to  war, 
and  are  not  allowed  to  intermarry  with  their  superiors. 
They  all  speak  Masai,  though  it  is  believed  they  have  a 
language  of  their  own.  In  response  to  the  call  a  miserable, 
half-starved  object  appeared  with  a  selection  of  most 
murderous-looking  weapons.  After  a  careful  examination 
Moran  selected  a  spear,  Avith  a  blade  two  feet  and  a  half 
long,  a  wooden  handle  fifteen  inches,  and  a  spike  at  the  end 
about  one  foot  and  a  half.  The  blade  had  an  almost  uniform 
width  of  from  two  to  three  inches,  up  to  near  the  top,  where 
it  abruptly  formed  a  point.  A  sword  and  a  knobkerry  of 
formidable  appearance  completed  his  warlike  equipment. 

These  important  acquisitions  made,  our  hero  now  pro- 
ceeded to  dress  himself  up  as  became  his  new  character. 
He  first  worked  his  hair  into  a  mop  of  strings,  those  falling 
over  the  forehead  being  cut  shorter  than  the  rest.  Instead 
of  the  ivory  ear-stretcher  hitherto  used,  he  put  in  a  swell 
ear  ornament  formed  of  a  tassel  of  iron  chain.  Kound  his 
neck  he  put  a  bracelet  of  coiled  wire,  and  round  his  wrists  a 
neatly  formed  bead  mitten.  On  his  ankles  he  bound  a 
strip  of  the  black  hair  of  the  colohus  (monkey)  of  Central 
Africa.  A  glorious  layer  of  grease  and  clay  was  plastered  on 
his  head  and  shoulders.  This  completed,  he  donned  a  very 
neat  and  handsomely  decorated  kid-skin  garment,  of  very 
scanty  dimensions,  which  served  to  cover  his  breast  and 
shoulders,  but  hardly  reached  below  the  waist,  and  thus 
stood  forth  the  complete  military  masher,  ready  for  love  or 
war. 

And  now  the  great  step  of  his  life  was  taken.  Thus  far 
he  had  lived  in  the  kraal  of  the  married  people,  and  accord- 
ingly had  to  comport  himself  as  "  only  a  boy."  Now  he 
jjroceeded  to  a  distant  kraal  in  which  were  none  but  young, 
immarried  men  and  women.  To  keep  up  his  dignity  and 
supply  him  with  food  his  father  provided  him  with  a  number 


MASAI   WEAPONS   AlfD    OBKASTENTS. 
1.  Shield.    2.  Arm  Ornament  of  hom.  3,5.  Spears  of  Northern  Masai  Clans.    4.  Spear  of  Southern 
Maaai.     6.  Sune  or  Sword.    7.  Skin  Sheath.    8.  Chain  Xeck  Ornament    9.  Andorobbo  Elephant 
rJ*^-   i  V-  0?tnch    Feather    War   Head-dress.     11.  Ivory    Bnuff-Box.      12.  Horn    Tobacco-Box. 
13.  Bead  ^ecklet.    14.  Club. 


260  Theough  Masai  Land. 

of  bullocks.  Reaching  the  kraal,  our  friend  found  himself 
among  a  large  number  of  splendidly  built  young  savages — 
indeed  the  most  magnificently  modelled  men  conceivable. 
And  here  let  me  for  a  moment  pause  in  my  story  to  indulge 
in  a  passing  word  of  description. 

There  is,  as  a  rule,  not  one  of  the  El-moran  under  six  feet 
(I  am  speaking  of  a  superior  clan).  Their  appearance,  how- 
ever, is  not  suggestive  of  great  strength,  and  they  show  little 
of  the  knotted  and  brawny  muscle  characteristic  of  the  ideal 
Hercules  or  typical  athlete.  The  Apollo  type  is  the  more 
characteristic  form,  presenting  a  smoothness  of  outline  which 
might  be  called  almost  effeminate.  In  most  cases  the  nose  is 
well  raised  and  straight,  frequently  as  good  as  any  European's 
(though  passmg  into  the  negro  type  in  the  lower  class,  such 
as  Wa-kwafi).  The  lips  also  vary  from  the  thin  and  well- 
formed  do'vvn  to  the  thick  and  everted.  The  eyes  are  bright, 
with  the  sclerotic  whiter  than  is  common  in  Africa.  The 
slits  are  generally  narrow,  with  a  Mongolian  upward  slant. 
The  jaws  are  rarely  prognathous,  while  the  hair  is  a  cross 
between  the  European  and  the  negro,  rarely  in  piles,  but 
evenly  spread  over  the  head.  Hair  is  scarcely  in  any  case 
seen  on  the  face  or  any  part  of  the  l^ody.  The  cheek-bones 
are  in  all  remarkably  prominent,  and  the  head  narrow  both 
above  and  below.  The  teeth  and  gums  of  almost  every  one 
are  such  as  I  have  already  described,  though  I  think  I  have 
neglected  to  mention  that  the  two  loAver  middle  incisors  are 
extracted.  Tatooing  is  not  practised ;  but  every  Masai  is 
branded  with  five  or  six  marks  on  the  thigh. 

Such  are  the  main  characteristics  of  the  El-moran  ;  but 
before  we  resume  our  narrative  let  us  note  a  few  facts  about 
the  young  damsels — the  Ditto — who  are  soon  to  be  flirting 
with  our  herd. 

Happily  facts  support  the  verdict  of  gallantry  when  I  say 
that  they  are  really  the  best-looking  girls  I  have  ever  met 
with  in  Africa.  They  are  distinctly  ladylike  in  both  manner 
and  physique.  Their  figures  are  slender  and  well  formed, 
without  the  abnormal  development  about  the  hips  charac- 
teristic of  the  negro.  They  share,  like  the  men,  the  dark 
gums,  and  the  bad  sets  of  teeth.  The  hair  is  shaved  off 
totally,  leaving  a  shiny  scalp.  As  to  dress,  they  are  very 
decent,  and  almost  classical,  if  a  stinking  greasy  hide  can 
have  anything  to  do  with  things  classical.  They  wear  a 
dressed  bullock's  hide  from  which  the  hair  has  been  scraped. 
This  is  tied  over  the  left  shoulder,  passing  under  the  right 


Oenaments  of  a  Masai  Damsel.       251 

arm,  A  beaded  belt  confines  it  roand  the  waist,  leaving  only 
one  limb  partly  exposed.  Frequently  it  is  slipped  off  the 
shoulder,  and  depends  entirely  from  the  waist,  leaving  the 
bosom  exposed.  Their  ornaments  are  of  a  very  remarkable 
nature.  Round  the  legs  from  the  ankles  to  the  knees  tele- 
graph wire  is  coiled  closely  in  spiral  fashion.  So  awkward 
is  this  ornament  that  the  wearer  cannot  walk  properly,  she 
cannot  sit  down  or  rise  up  like  any  other  human  being,  and 
she  cannot  run.  Round  the  arms  she  has  wire  similarly 
coiled  both  above  and  below  the  elbow.  Round  the  neck 
more  iron  wire  is  coiled — in  this  case,  however,  horizontally 
— till  the  head  seems  to  sit  on  an  inverted  iron  salver 
When  the  leg-ornaments  are  once  on  they  must  remain  till 
finally  taken  ofi",  as  it  requires  many  days  of  painful  work  to 
fit  them  into  their  places.  They  chafe  the  ankles  excessively, 
and  evidently  give  much  pain.  As  they  are  put  on  when 
very  young,  the  calf  is  not  allowed  to  develop,  and  the  con- 
sequence is,  that  when  grown  up  the  legs  remain  at  a  uniform 
thickness  from  ankle  to  knee — mere  animated  stilts,  in  fact. 
The  weight  of  this  armour  varies  according  to  the  wealth  of 
the  parties,  up  to  thirty  pounds.  Besides  the  iron  wire,  great 
quantities  of  beads  and  iron  chains  are  disposed  in  various 
ways  round  the  neck. 

Such,  then,  were  the  ])eople  that  now  greeted  Moran,  who, 
being  a  novice,  had  to  suffer  a  good  deal  of  chaff  from  both 
sexes.  He  was,  however,  soon  initiated  into  the  mysteries 
of  a  warrior  kraal,  and  had  seen  a  bit  of  life.  The  strictest 
diet  imaginable  was  the  rule.  He  had  to  be  content  with 
absolutely  nothing  but  meat  and  milk.  Tobacco  or  snuff, 
beer  or  spirits,  vegetable  food  of  all  kinds,  even  the  flesh  of 
all  animals  except  cattle,  sheep,  and  goats,  were  alike 
eschewed.  To  eat  any  of  those  articles  was  to  be  degraded 
— to  lose  caste ;  to  be  offered  them  was  to  be  insulted  in  the 
deepest  manner.  As  if  these  rules  were  not  strict  enough, 
he  must  needs  not  be  seen  eating  meat  in  the  kraal,  neither 
must  he  take  it  along  with  milk.  So  many  days  were 
devoted  entirely  to  the  drinking  of  new  milk,  and  then,  when 
carnivorous  longings  came  over  him,  he  had  to  retire  with  a 
bullock  to  a  lonely  place  in  the  forest,  accompanied  by  some 
of  his  comrades,  and  a  Ditto  to  act  as  cook.  Having  scrupu- 
lously made  certain  that  there  was  no  trace  of  milk  left  on 
their  stomachs  by  partaking  of  an  extremely  powerful  pur- 
gative, they  killed  the  bullock  either  ^\-ith  a  blow  from  a 
rungu  or  by  stabbing  it  in  the  back  of  the  neck.     They  then 


252  Through  Masai  Land. 

opened  a  vein  and  drank  the  blood  fresh  from  the  animal. 
This  proceeding  of  our  voracious  young  friends  was  a  wise 
though  repulsive  one,  as  the  blood  thus  drunk  provided  the 
salts  so  necessary  in  the  human  economy ;  for  the  Masai  do 
not  partake  of  any  salt  in  its  common  form.  This  sanguinary 
draught  concluded,  they  proceeded  to  gorge  themselves  on 
the  flesh,  eating  from  morning  till  night — and  keeping  their 
cook  steadily  at  work.  The  half-dozen  men  were  quite  able 
to  dispose  of  the  entire  animal  in  a  few  days,  and  then  they 
returned  to  the  kraal  to  resume  the  milk  diet. 

If  they  lived  an  ascetic  life  in  the  matter  of  food,  they 
could  not  be  said  to  do  so  in  other  ways.  Life  in  the 
Avarriors'  kraal,  as  may  easily  be  conceived,  was  promiscuous 
in  a  remarkable  degree.  They  may,  indeed,  be  described  as 
a  colony  of  free  lovers.  Curiously  enough  the  "  sweetheart " 
system  was  largely  in  vogue,  thuugh  no  one  confined  his  or 
her  attentions  to  one  only.  Each  girl,  in  fact,  had  several 
sweethearts,  and,  what  is  still  stranger,  this  seemed  to  give 
rise  to  no  jealousies.  The  most  perfect  equality  prevailed 
between  the  Ditto  and  El-moran,  and  in  their  savage  circum- 
stances it  was  really  pleasant  to  see  how  common  it  was  for  a 
young  girl  to  wander  about  the  camp  with  her  arm  round  the 
waist  of  a  stalwart  warrior. 

Till  a  war-raid  Avas  planned,  Moran,  our  interesting 
protege,  found  he  had  nothing  to  do  but  make  acquaintances 
and  amuse  himself  with  the  girls.  His  cattle  were  looked 
after  by  some  poor  menials,  and  though  the  kraal  was  sta- 
tioned near  a  dangerous  neighbour,  yet  no  fighting  took 
place.  It  was,  however,  a  rule  in  the  warrior  kraals  that  no 
fence  for  protection  was  allowed,  hence  the  utmost  vigilance 
had  to  be  exercised.  jMoran  thus  in  the  course  of  his  duty 
had  frequently  to  act  as  watch.  At  other  times  he  practised 
various  military  evolutions,  and  he  kept  up  his  muscle  by 
the  peculiar  mode  of  dancing  described  in  the  Taveta  chapter. 
Unlike  negro  tribes,  they  led  what  might  be  called  a  serious 
life.  They  had  no  rollicking  fun,  no  moonlight  dancing,  no 
lively  songs,  no  thundering  drums.  No  musical  instrument 
whatsoever  enlivened  the  Masai  life,  and  their  songs  were 
entirely  confined  to  such  occasions  as  the  return  home  from 
a  successful  raid,  or  the  invocation  of  the  deity.  As  soon  as 
darkness  fell  upon  the  land  the  guard  was  appointed,  the 
cattle  milked,  and  everything  hushed  up  in  silence. 

Shortly  after  joining  the  kraal,  Moran  was  called  upon  to 
record  his  vote  in  the  election  of  a  Lytunu  and  a  Lygonani. 


Peepabattons  foe  a  Raid.  253 

The  Lytunu  is  a  warrior  elected  by  a  number  of  kraals  as 
their  captain  or  leader,  with  absolute  power  of  life  and  death. 
He  is  their  judge  in  cases  of  dispute.  He  directs  their 
battles,  though,  curiously  enough,  he  does  not  lead  his  men, 
but,  like  the  general  of  a  civilized  army,  he  stands  aside  and 
watches  the  progress  of  the  fight  under  the  direct  command 
of  the  Lygonaiu.  If,  however,  he  sees  symptoms  of  his  men 
wavering,  he  forthwith  precipitates  himself  with  his  body- 
guard into  the  battle.  Of  course  he  holds  his  oflSce  purely 
on  sufferance,  and  if  he  fails  to  give  satisfaction  he  is  simi- 
marily  deposed.  This,  indeed,  is  almost  the  only  attempt  at 
a  form  of  government.  Each  war- district  elects  its  own 
Lytunu.  The  Lygonani,  again,  is  a  very  different  personage. 
He  is  the  public  leader  of  a  kraal,  leads  and  guides  the 
debate  in  cases  of  dispute.  To  be  such  arrogant  and  pug- 
nacious savages,  the  Masai  are  the  most  remarkable  speakers 
and  debaters  imaginable.  In  some  American  novels  we 
have  the  Indian  belauded  for  his  eloquence  and  dignity ;  but 
commend  me  to  the  Masai  for  grace  and  oratorical  power, 
for  order  and  decorum  in  debate ;  and,  indeed,  for  most  of 
the  good  qualities  which  in  these  days  are  conspicuous  by 
their  absence  in  our  o^vn  House  of  Talking.  Kot  that  their 
genius  in  this  line  is  always  worthily  applied ;  for  in  their 
finical  persistency  in  talking  out  a  question  they  might  even 
beat  our  Parliamentary  Obstructionists.  They  will  spend 
days  discussing  the  most  trivial  matter — nothing,  indeed, 
can  be  settled  without  endless  talk.  But  we  must  proceed 
with  our  history. 

The  Lytunu  and  Lygotiani  having  been  elected,  a  raid  to 
the  coast  was  determined  on.  For  a  month  they  devoted 
themselves  to  an  indispensable,  though  somewhat  revolting, 
preparation.  This  consisted  in  their  retiring  in  small  parties 
to  the  forest,  and  there  gorging  themselves  with  beef. 
This  they  did  under  the  belief  that  they  were  storing  up 
a  supply  of  muscle  and  ferocity  of  the  most  pronounced 
type.  This  strange  process  being  finished,  and  the  day  fixed 
on,  the  women  of  the  kraal  went  outside  before  sunrise,  with 
grass  dipped  in  the  cream  of  a  cow's  milk.  Then  they 
danced  and  invoked  Xgai  for  a  favourable  issue  to  the 
enterprise,  after  which  they  threw  the  grass  in  the  direction 
of  the  enemy.  The  young  men  spent  several  hours  at  their 
devotions,  howling  out  in  the  most  ludicrous  street-singer 
fcishion,  "  Aman  Ngai-ai !  Aman  Mbaratien  !  "  (We  pray  to 
God  !     "We  pray  to  Mbaratien  ! ").     Previous  to  this,  how- 


254  Through  Masai  Land. 

ever,  a  party  had  been  sent  to  the  chief  lybon  of  the  Masai 
— Mbaratien — to  seek  advice  as  to  the  time  of  their  start, 
and  to  procure  medicines  to  make  them  successful.  On 
their  return  the  party  mustered,  and  set  off.  It  was  a 
remarkable  sight  to  behold  these  bloated  young  cut-throats 
on  the  march,  and  it  is  almost  an  impossibility  to  convey 
any  clear  picture  of  their  appearance  in  words.  The 
Frontispiece  illustration,  however,  will  help  to  some  extent. 

Let  us  pause  and  in  imagination  watch  some  enthusiastic 
young  ditto  buckling  on  the  armour  of  her  knight.  First 
there  is  tied  round  his  neck,  whence  it  falls  in  flowing 
lengths,  the  naibere, — a  piece  of  cotton,  six  feet  long,  two 
feet  broad,  with  a  longitudinal  stripe  of  coloured  cloth 
sewed  down  the  middle  of  it.  Over  his  shoulders  is  placed 
a  huge  cape  of  kite's  feathers — a  regular  heap  of  them. 
The  kid-skin  garment  which  hangs  at  his  shoulder  is  now 
folded  up,  and  tied  tightly  round  his  waist  like  a  belt,  so  as 
to  leave  his  arms  free.  His  hair  is  tied  into  two  pigtails,  one 
before  and  one  behind.  On  his  head  is  placed  a  remarkable 
object  formed  of  ostrich  feathers  stuck  in  a  band  of  leather, 
the  whole  forming  an  elliptically-shaped  head-gear.  This  is 
placed  diagonally  in  a  line  beginning  under  the  lower  lip 
and  running  in  front  of  the  ear  to  the  crown.  His  legs  are 
ornamented  with  flowing  hair  of  the  colobus,  resembling 
wings.  His  bodily  adornment  is  finished  off  by  the  customary 
plastering  of  oil.  His  sime  or  sword  is  now  attached — it 
does  not  hang — to  his  7'ight  side  ;  and  through  the  belt  is 
pushed  the  skull-smasher  or  knobkerry,  which  may  be 
thrown  at  an  approaching  enemy,  or  may  give  the  quietus  to 
a  disabled  one.  His  huge  shield  in  his  left  hand  and  his 
great  spear  in  his  right  complete  his  extraordinary  equip- 
ment. For  the  rest  you  must  imagine  an  Apollo-like  form 
and  the  face  of  a  fiend,  and  you  have  before  you  the  beau- 
ideal  of  a  Masai  warrior.  He  takes  enormous  pride  in  his 
weapons,  and  would  part  with  everything  he  has  rather  than 
his  spear.  He  glories  in  his  scars,  as  the  true  laurel  and 
decorative  marks  of  one  who  delights  in  battles. 

With  astonishing  hardihood,  Moran  and  his  comrades, 
thus  terribly  arrayed,  shaped  their  course  towards  Swahili- 
land ;  for,  strangely  enough,  they  have  found  that  they  can 
lift  the  cattle  with  greater  impunity  there  than  anywhere 
else — in  spite  of  the  Swahili  guns  and  a  large  population. 
The  reason  is  the  complete  absence  of  anything  like  patriot- 
ism or  public  spirit  among  the  coast  people.     Their  argument 


Dividing  the  Spoil.  255 

is  that  they  receive  no  benefit  from  the  cattle  of  their  neigh- 
bours. "  We  get  faeither  meat  nor  milk,"  they  saj' ;  "  why, 
therefore,  should  we  fight  for  the  preservation  of  your 
cattle  ? "  With  a  consummate  knowledge  of  the  region,  the 
Masai  warriors  threaded  their  way  by  special  pathways, 
passing  Taveta,  and  crossing  the  Xyika.  Xearing  the  coast, 
they  stowed  themselves  away  in  the  bush,  while  a  few  of 
the  bravest  went  forward  to  spy  out  the  land,  knowing, 
however,  full  well  that  the  very  sight  of  one  of  their  number 
was  quite  sufficient  to  stampede  a  hundred  Wa-nyika  or 
Wa-digo.  Sadi,  indeed,  told  me  that  on  one  occasion  he 
actually  met  some  of  these  spies  in  the  toicn  of  Mombasa  at 
midnight.  This  is,  I  think,  doubtful,  but  it  shows  what 
they  are  considered  capable  of ;  and  there  can  be  no  doubt 
as  to  the  astonishing  hardihood  of  these  scouts.  Stories  are 
continually  heard  to  that  effect,  thus  rendering  the  Masai  a 
terror  in  the  landj  and  it  is  a  fact  that  they  have  even 
reached  Bagamoyo,  opposite  Zanzibar. 

The  raid  was,  of  course,  successful,  and  our  savage  friends 
returned  in  great  glee.  On  reaching  their  homes,  however, 
matters  had  to  be  squared  up,  and  the  spoil  divided.  So 
many  head  of  the  captured  cattle  were  set  apart  as  the 
portion  of  the  lybon  !Mbaratien,  who  had  directed  them  so 
well,  and  whose  medicines  had  been  so  potent.  Then 
followed  a  sanguinary  scene  over  the  apportionment  of  the 
remainder.  There  was  no  attempt  at  a  fair  division.  The 
braver  men  and  bullies  of  the  party,  consulting  only  their 
own  desires,  took  possession  of  such  cattle  as  pleased  them, 
and  dared  the  rest  to  come  and  seize  them.  The  understood 
rule  was  that  if  any  warrior  could  hold  his  own  in  single 
combat  against  all  comers  for  three  days,  the  cattle  were  his. 
And  thus  began  the  real  fighting  of  the  expedition,  revealing 
sickening  sights  of  savage  ferocity.  There  were  more 
warriors  killed  over  the  division  of  the  spoil  than  in  the 
original  capturing  of  it.  To  kill  a  man  in  this  manner  was 
considered  all  fair  and  above  board.  Blood  feuds  were  un- 
known, a  man  not  being  considered  worth  avenging  who 
could  not  hold  his  own  life  safe.  If,  however,  a  man  was 
murdered  treacherously,  the  criminal  had  to  pay  forty- 
nine  bullocks.  Our  young  warrior,  as  he  was  only  as  yet 
winning  his  spurs,  had  to  be  content  with  the  honour  and 
glory  of  the  raid,  and  he  had  the  modesty  not  to  pit  himself 
against  abler  and  more  ferocious  fighters.  It  must  be 
remembered  that  the  cattle  thus  captured  did  not  remain 


256  Through  Masai  Land. 

the  property  of  the  successful  warriors.  A  warrior  can 
have  no  property,  and  hence  they  all  become  his  father's. 

The  spoil  being  divided,  the  party  were  next  able  to  do 
full  honour  to  the  men  lost  in  the  raid — those  being 
considered  worthy  of  all  praise  "  who  rush  into  the  field, 
and  foremost  fighting  fall ;"  while  men  Avho  die  ignobly  at 
home  are  only  worthy  to  be  despised  and  thrown  to  the 
vultures.  Hence  the  warriors  howled  and  jumped  into  the 
air  in  the  dance,  till  the  dead  were  duly  commemorated. 

In  this  manner,  Moran  saw  a  good  deal  of  fighting,  and 
soon  rose  to  fame  in  many  a  campaign  to  U-kambani,  Galla- 
land,  the  Coast  region,  Suk,  Kavirondo,  Elgumi,  and  N'andi. 
The  two  latter  tribes  proved  to  be  the  most  difficult  to  deal 
with,  the  one  from  its  great  numbers,  the  other  from  its 
fighting  powers. 

Civil  war  next  broke  out,  and  he  had  to  proceed  to  the 
assistance  of  his  brethren  of  l!^aivasha,  who  were  hard  pressed 
by  the  Wa-kwafi.  In  these  civil  wars,  the  affair  was  gone 
about  in  a  very  civilized  fashion.  Sudden  and  unexpected 
attacks  were  not  indulged  in.  A  cause  of  war  was  first  dis- 
covered— probably,  as  in  more  civilized  countries,  merely 
to  keep  their  hands  in  or  as  an  outlet  for  internal  unrest. 
Preliminaries  were  then  settled  most  amicably,  and  the 
stakes  arranged.  A  place  was  next  chosen  as  the  field  of 
battle,  and  to  this  all  the  warriors  of  the  two  districts  came 
with  their  cattle  and  young  women.  As  the  fighting  would 
be  protracted,  a  truce  was  declared,  while  kraals  were  built 
in  the  opposing  camps.  A  certain  number  then  proceeded 
from  both  sides,  and  like  gladiators  in  the  arena,  they  closed 
in  furious  strife,  spurred  to  deeds  of  daring  by  the  Avomen  on 
both  sides.  The  Wa-kwafi  were  the  conquerors,  and  the 
cattle  of  the  Masai  fell  into  their  hands ;  and  following  up 
their  advantage,  they  nearly  drove  their  brethren  from  the 
entire  region.     (Of  this  war  I  have  already  spoken  ) 

As  a  mild  relief,  and  a  variation  from  these  serious  matters, 
it  was  the  dearest  delight  of  our  swaggering  young  friend 
Moran  to  "  draw  the  badger  "  in  the  person  of  the  Swahili 
porters  who  might  be  meekly  endeavouring  to  pass  through 
his  country.  These  he  would  dub  *'  donkeys,"  in  allusion 
to  their  being  burden-bearers  like  those  interesting  quad- 
rupeds. He  could  keep  the  kraal  in  a  roar  of  delight,  as 
he  described  how  he  had  frightened  this  one  out  of  his 
wits,  or  spitted  another  on  his  spear,  or  smashed  the  skull 
of  a  third  into  jelly.     The  senenge  and   the  beads  he  re- 


MoRAN.  257 

ceived  from  the  traders,  he,  of  course,  did  not  keep 
himself,  but  divided  among  his  sweethearts  of  the  kraal. 

And  so  with  war  and  women,  life  passed  in  happy  fashion. 
His  demeanour  was  serious,  and  his  expression  ferocious, 
though  he  acquired  an  aristocratic  hauteur  truly  striking. 
He  showed  curiosity  in  a  dignified  manner.  He  rarely 
indulged  in  vulgar  laughter,  and  smiling  was  hardly 
possible  on  a  face  which  could  only  be  called  fiendish. 

He  passed  some  twenty  years  in  this  manner.  At  last  his 
father  was  found  to  be  on  the  point  of  death,  and  he  was 
sent  for.     Shortly  aft«r  his  arrival,  the  old  man  succumbed. 


EAB  OSNAKSyTS,   HABBISD   WOHAH. 

It  was  not  thought  necessary  to  recognize  this  common-place 
occurrence  in  any  way  whatever,  and  therefore  Moran  lost 
no  time  in  picking  up  the  corpse  and  throwing  it  outside 
the  kraal.  JNext  morning,  he  smiled  grimly  as  on  going  out, 
he  kicked  aside  some  freshly-picked  bones,  and  glanced  at 
some  disgusting  hyenas  sliiiking  away,  in  company  with 
marabout  storks,  while  vultures  flapped  grossly  overhead. 

He  was  now  sole  heir  of  his  father's  herds,  for  his  younger 
brothers  did  not  receive  a  single  head  of  cattle,  though  they 
had  captured  in  their  raids  considerable  numbers  of  them. 
Any  they  might  secure  now,  however,  would  be  their  own 
property.  Moran  decidedly  preferred  the  free  and  easy  life  of 
the  warrior's  kraal,  but,  alas  !  he  discovered,  not  that  he  was 


258  Through  Masai  Land. 

becoming  bald  or  developing  grey  hairs,  but  that  he  could 
not  take  the  regulation  dose  of  purgative  as  formerly. 
From  this,  coupled  with  the  fact  that  he  could  not  take  such 
liberties  with  his  stomach,  he  gathered  that  he  was  not 
quite  so  strong  as  formerly.  We  can  imagine  how  he 
would  curse  his  luck  and  look  fiendish  on  discovering  this 
unpalatable  truth.  There  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  marry, 
and  become  a  staid  and  respectable  member  of  society.  He 
had  sown  his  wild  oats. 

Casting  about,  he  fixed  upon  a  damsel  after  his  heart. 
The  preliminaries  having  been  arranged — the  number  of 
bullocks  to  be  paid,  &c. — she  was  sealed  to  him.  Then  an 
operation  was  performed  on  the  damsel.  Eecovered  from  its 
effects,  she  had  to  wait  till  the  calving  season,  as  abundance' 
of  milk  is  an  indispensable  requisite  in  the  honeymoon. 
Meanwhile,  she  allowed  her  hair  to  grow  till  it  assumed  the 
appearance  of  an  old  shoe-brush  clotted  up  with  blacking. 
Round  the  head  she  wore  a  band  of  cowries  from  which 
depended  a  number  of  strings,  forming  in  fact  the  bridal 
veil.  At  last  the  happy  day  arrived,  and  the  final  seal  Avas 
put  upon  the  marriage  by  both  parties  disposing  of  their  chain 
earrings,  and  substituting  a  double  disc  of  copper  wire 
arranged  spirally.  The  lady  also  shaved  her  head,  laid  aside 
the  garment  of  the  ditto,  and  clothed  herself  with  two  skins, 
one  suspended  from  the  waist  the  other  from  the  shoulder. 
Strangest  of  all,  however,  and  strikingly  indicative  of  tlie 
fact  that  he  had  exchanged  the  spear  for  the  distaff,  Moran 
had  actually  to  wear  the  garment  of  a  ditto  for  one  month. 
Just  imagine  Avhat  fun  it  would  be  in  this  staid  and  dignified 
country  of  ours,  if  a  young  man  had  to  spend  his  honey- 
moon in  a  cast-off  suit  of  his  wife's  maiden  clothes.  What 
our  friend's  feelings  were  in  this  guise,  I  do  not  know, 
and  this  veracious  chronicle  does  not  admit  of  conjecture. 

And  now  Moran's  sole  idea  was  to  rear  a  brood  of  young 
cattle-lifters,  and  so  that  he  got  them,  he  was  not  very 
particular  as  to  the  manner  of  it.  He  was  not  jealous, 
asked  no  awkward  questions,  and  employed  no  spies.  If 
a  friend  should  visit  him,  he  was  hospitable  in  a  degree 
not  consistent  with  a  high  level  of  morality.  We  shall  here 
prudently  follow  his  example  of  non-inquisitiveness ;  for  we 
might  find  that  the  domestic  affairs  of  our  friend's  household 
will  not  bear  a  too  curious  scrutiny. 

He  was  now  wholly  a  changed  being — as  indeed  who  is 
not  when  he  gets  married  1     His  strict  rules  of  diet  were 


The  domesticated  Masai.  259 

abandoned,  and,  though  meat  and  milk  were  stUl  the  main 
items  of  his  eatincj,  he  could  now  vary  it  with  vegetable  food, 
obtained  by  his  wife  from  neighbouring  agricultural  tribes. 
Luxuries,  also,  he  might  now  indulge  in.  He  sported  a 
fancy  snuff-box  and  tobacco-box  of  ivory  or  rhinoceros'  horn, 
and  delighted  to  rap  up  its  contents  as  he  handed  it  to  a 
friend.  He  chewed  tobacco  (mixed  always  with  natron), 
though  he  never  smoked.  Then,  as  often  as  convenient,  he 
liked  to  foregather  with  his  friends,  and  have  a  jolly  carouse 
over  beer  or  mead. 

It  is  pleasant  to  know  that  with  this  change  in  his  mode 
of  life  there  was  a  corresponding  alteration  (very  much  for 
the  better)  in  his  views  of  things.  He  delighted  to  talk  with 
the  traders  whom  before  he  had.  gloried  in  killing  or  annoy- 
ing, and  would  in  token  of  good-will  cordially  exchange  the 
courtesies  of  life  by  spitting  upon  them  and  being  spat  upon. 
In  his  conversation  he  showed  an  intelligence  far  superior  to 
any  specimen  of  the  Bantu  tribes.  He  had  no  suspicions, 
and  was  communicative  about  his  afl&iirs  and  beliefs.  He 
would  even  at  times  exercise  a  friendly  guardianship  of 
passing  traders,  and  was  able  to  ward  off  many  a  disaster  bj' 
judicious  warning.  He  was  not  stinted  in  hi?  presents,  and 
generally  gave  far  more  than  he  got.  He  has  been  known 
even  to  protect  strayed  porters,  and  tend  sick  men  left  behind 

The  softening  down  of  his  ferocity  reacted  upon  his  face. 
The  habitual  scowl  gradually  died  away,  and  was  replaced  by 
a  more  pleasing  and  genial  expression.  His  thoughts  turned 
more  to  the  strange  mystery  of  life.  He,  alas  !  had  little 
that  was  cheering  to  look  forward  to.  He  believed  in  the 
existence  of  a  Supreme  Being,  and  yet  had  not  the  faintest 
conception  of  an  after-life.  Unlike  the  men  of  the  Bantu 
races,  he  did  not  believe  in  ghosts  or  spirits.  He  had  no 
theory  of  dreams,  and  did  not  imagine  like  the  negro  that 
when  he  dreamed  he  was  really  experiencing  all  that  was 
passing  through  his  brain,  and  that  his  soul  or  spirit  was 
actually  knocking  around  somewhere,  having  a  good  time  of 
it,  unclogged  by  his  body.  Moran  believed  nothing  of  that ; 
indeed,  whether  he  had  any  idea  on  the  subject,  I  have  not 
been  able  to  determine.  When  the  man  died,  he  was 
finished  utterly,  except  so  far  as  he  might  go  piecemeal  to 
build  up  the  body  of  a  hyena,  a  vulture,  or  a  marabout  stork. 
The  Masai  believe  in  annihilation.  To  bury  a  corpse  would, 
they  think,  be  to  poison  the  soil :  it  must  be  thrown  to  the 
wild  beasts  without  ceremony. 

s  2 


260  Through  Masai  Land. 

In  connection  with  the  decided  belief  of  the  Masai  in  a 
God,  it  may  be  noted  that  they  have  also  some  minor  deity 
called  Neiterkob — apparently,  as  far  as  I  could  learn,  an 
earth  spirit.  They  have  faith  in  witchcraft,  though  the 
efficacy  of  the  lybon,  or  medicine-man,  lies  not  in  any  innate 
ability  of  his  own,  but  in  his  power  of  intercession  with  Kgai, 
who  works  through  him,  and  imparts  magical  virtues  to 
various  objects.  Their  conception  of  the  Deity  seems  to  be 
marvellously  vague.  I  was  Ngai.  My  lamp  was  l!^gai.  Ngai 
was  in  the  steaming  holes.  His  house  was  in  the  eternal 
snows  of  Kilimanjaro.  In  fact,  whatever  struck  them  as 
strange  or  incomprehensible,  that  they  at  once  assumed  had 
some  connection  Avith  ISTgai.  Their  prayers  to  him  were 
incessant.  Nothing  could  be  done  without  hours  of  howling, 
whether  it  Avas  to  seek  direction  where  to  slaughter  their 
enemies,  or  to  Avard  olf  a  disease.  The  most  sacred  thing  among 
them  is  the  grass.  Held  in  the  hand,  or  tied  in  a  sprig  to  the 
dress,  it  is  a  sign  of  Avelcome  and  peace.  Thrown  at  any  one, 
or  into  some  mysterious  place,  it  is  an  invocation  for  a  bless- 
ing on  the  person,  or  a  propitiatory  ofl'ering.  Next  to  the 
grass  comes  the  milk.  No  liberties  may  be  taken  with  it. 
The  milk  must  be  draAvn  into  calabashes  specially  reserved  for 
its  reception,  into  which  water  is  not  allowed  to  enter — 
cleanliness  being  ensured  by  Avoodashes.  To  boil  it  is  a 
heinous  offence,  and  Avould  be  accounted  a  sufficient  reason  for 
massacring  a  caraA^an.  It  is  believed  that  the  cattle  Avould 
cease  to  give  milk.  The  coavs,  it  may  be  remarked,  are  never 
milked  except  in  the  dark. 

Moran  found  married  life  sadly  dull  after  his  warrior 
experiences,  and  to  kill  time  he  accompanied  one  or  tAvo  war- 
parties.  But  that  Avas  exceptional.  His  time  henceforAvard 
was  chiefly  occupied  in  eternal  and  interminable  discussions 
on  the  most  trivial  questions,  or  Avandering  long  distances  on 
visits  to  his  friends,  Avhile  his  Avife  stayed  at  home  to  milk  the 
cattle,  or  occasionally  made  journeys  to  neighbouring  hostile 
tribes  to  buy  grain.  She,  hoAvever,  Avas  in  her  element  Avhen 
a  caravan  came  round,  and  then  she  enjoyed  the  double 
pleasure  of  an  intrigue  and  a  lovely  present  of  iron  Avire  and 
beads. 

In  time  Moran's  first  wife  became  old  and  ugly,  and  he  took 
to  himself  a  second — the  former  being  stripped  of  all  lioriron 
wire  for  the  purpose  of  decking  the  new  comer.  At  last  the 
day  closed  for  both  of  them,  and  one  after  the  other,  they 
formed  the  subject  of  horrible  hyenas'  laughter.     These  fierce 


Masai  Burial. 


261 


creatures,  \nth  the  vultures  and  the  storks,  toi-e  tlieir  flesh 
under  the  light  of  the  moon.  Nothing  remainetl  but  a  couple 
of  grim  skulls  and  some  bloody  bones  when  the  sun  rose  over 
the  gi"assy  plain  in  the  morning ;  an<l  the  young  urchins  of 
tlie  kraal  kicked  them  about  and  laughed  as  they  threw  them 
at  one  another, 


MASAI    MARBIED   WOMjy,   KJTBr. 

Such  is  the  history  of  the  commonplace  life  of  Moran  as 
retailed  to  me  by  men  who  had  lived  with  him  as  boy, 
warrior,  and  husband,  and  for  whose  accuracy  and  truthfulness 
I  can  vouch.  The  next  traveller  ^vill  listen  to  the  same 
story,  and  will  doubtless  be  able  to  verify  the  main  features 
of  the  narrative, 


2G2  Through  Masai  Land. 

Before  closing  this  chapter  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  say 
a  few  words  regarding  a  tribe  of  people  whom  I  have  referred 
to  as  the  Andorobbo,  This  tribe — the  Wa-ndorobbo  of  the 
Wa-swahili — is  a  small  race  of  people  scattered  over  Masai- 
land,  Avho  gain  their  entire  livelihood  by  the  chase.  They 
neither  keep  cattle  nor  cultivate  the  land.  The  antelope,  the 
buffalo,  and  the  elephant  supply  them  Avith  such  meat  as  they 
may  desire,  while  they  always  find  neighbouring  tribes,  less 
skilful  in  hunting,  eager  to  exchange  vegetable  food  for  game. 
The  elephant,  however,  seems  to  be  their  staple  food,  and  as 
a  rule  the  Andoroddo  are  to  be  found  only  where  those  animals 
abound ;  as,  for  instance,  in  the  dense  forests  of  Kenia  and 
Kikuyu,  the  forest-clad  escarpment  of  Mau,  the  top  of 
Elgeyo,  Maragwet,  Chibcharagnani,  Burn,  Dondole,  &c.  They 
are  rarely  found  in  numbers,  and  usually  in  very  small  villages, 
so  that  there  is  nothing  like  tribal  life  among  them.  They 
enjoy  considerable  immunity  from  attack  by  the  Masai,  as  they 
are  sources  of  wealth  to  the  latter  by  attracting  the  coast 
traders ;  usually,  too,  the  Masai  fall  heir  to  a  considerable  share 
of  the  ivory.  They  also  act  as  go-betweens  or  middlemen  in 
getting  the  married  people  the  vegetable  food  they  require. 
To  such  an  extent  is  this  system  carried,  that  on  the  plateau 
to  the  east  of  Naivasha,  at  the  place  called  by  the  traders 
Mianzi-ni,  a  very  large  village  of  Andorobbo  have  altogether 
given  up  hunting,  and  subsist  entirely  by  buying  vegetable 
food  from  the  Wa-kikuyu  and  selling  it  again  to  the  Masai,  or 
it  may  be  the  traders. 

The  language  spoken  by  the  Andorobbo  is  allied  to  that  of 
the  Masai,  but  they  can  all  speak  the  latter  in  its  purity. 
They  build  regular  villages,  and  in  general  appearance  they 
resemble  the  inferior  class  of  the  Masai.  As  I  have  already 
remarked,  they  make  the  buffalo-hide  shields  of  the  warriors, 
as  well  as  the  coarse  earthen  cooking-pots  of  the  women. 
They  are  on  the  whole  looked  upon  as  a  si^ecies  of  serf, 
and  treated  accordingly.  Their  transactions  with  the  traders 
must  be  done  secretly,  or  everything  would  be  stolen  from 
them. 

In  hunting  the  elephant  the  Andorobbo  use  a  peculiar 
weapon.  In  shape  it  is  like  the  rammer  of  a  cannon,  the 
heavy  head  being  intended  to  give  additional  weight  in  dealing 
a  blow.  In  the  thickened  part  is  placed  a  Aveapon  like  a  short 
but  thick  arrow,  fifteen  inches  long,  the  head  of  the  arrow 
being  smeared  over  with  the  deadly  poison  of  the  murju. 
Tlie  whole  spear  is  little  short  of  eight  feet.     With  tjiis  the 


Wa-kwafi  Villages.  263 

elephant  is  attacked  at  close  quarters,  the  arrow  part  driven 
into  the  great  brute,  and  being  loosely  fixed  in  the  handle,  it 
remains  when  the  latter  is  withdrawn.  Another  arrow  is 
then  affixed,  and  the  same  operation  performed.  It  is  said 
that  an  elephant  will  live  a  very  short  time  after  being  thus 
stabbed,  and  entire  herds  are  killed  without  one  escaping,  so 
dexterous  and  daring  are  these  hunters.  The  Andorobbo  also 
use  the  ordinary  bow  and  arrow,  but  only  for  the  smaller 
game. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THROUGH    KAVIROXDO   TO    VICTORIA   KYAXZA. 

The  people  (Wa-kwafi)  of  Njemps  presented  an  interesting 
study  to  the  observer  as  throwing  light  upon  the  origin  of 
the  various  small  tribes  which  people  Africa.  Unquestion- 
ably Masai  in  race,  and  only  separated  from  that  tribe 
through  the  loss  of  their  cattle  and  the  consequent  nece»> 
sity  of  breaking  their  cherished  convictions  by  cultivating 
the  soil,  they  had  developed  new  ideas,  manners,  and  customs 
in  a  comparatively  short  period. 

They  did  not  by  any  means  supply  an  argument  in  favour 
of  the  vegetarians  ;  for  in  personal  appearance  they  had 
distinctly  degenerated,  and  could  not  for  a  moment  compete 
with  their  aristocratic  "carnivorous  brethren  of  Lykipia. 
This  was  especially  noticeable  among  the  women,  who  had 
lost  their  slender,  genteel  shape  and  acquired  the  ill-pro- 
l^ortioned,  unwieldy  contour  of  the  negress.  Perhaps  an 
exception  might  be  made  in  favour  of  the  young  women, 
many  of  whom  were  well-formed  and  characterized  by  most 
pleasing  and  interesting  mamiers. 

The  colony  consisted  of  two  villages — Njemps  of  Guaso 
Tigirish,  close  to  our  camp,  and  Njemps  of  Guaso  na  Xyuki. 
The  houses  were  of  the  haycock  order,  with  floors  beneath 
the  level  of  the  ground,  very  small  and  badly  built.  They 
were  surrounded  by  a  double  fence  of  thorns,  which,  how- 
ever, are  a  greater  source  of  danger  than  of  protection,  as  in 
this  dry  climate  they  become  like  tinder,  and  consequently 
can  be  set  on  fire  easily.  If  this  were  done  at  several 
points  simultaneously,  the  inhabitants  could  easUy  be  burned 
to  death. 

In  a  haz}'  sort  of  way  they  tried  to  keep  up  the  distinction 


264  Through  Masai  Land. 

between  the  married  and  the  unmarried  people,  very  little 
work  being  expected  of  the  latter,  and  the  sweetheart  system 
being  preserved.  They  all,  however,  occupy  the  same  village, 
and  of  course  the  young  men  cannot  afford  to  live  on  meat, 
though  they  always  come  in  for  the  lion's  share  Avhen  any 
of  it  is  going.  When  parties  go  off  on  war-raids,  the}"- 
also  contrive  to  eat  a  bullock  by  way  of  getting  up  their 
courage. 

They  lead  upon  the  whole  a  very  miserable  life,  ever 
threatened  with  destruction  by  the  Masai,  who  have  swept 
off  several  villages  and  all  their  cattle.  The  soil  being  the 
very  richest  loam,  brought  down  from  the  mountains  and 
spread  over  a  comparatively  level  plain  to  the  south  of  the 
lake,  it  is  capable  of  producing  anything  ;  only  the  extreme 
dryness  of  the  air  and  the  very  small  annual  rainfall, 
confined  to  a  couple  of  months,  keeps  it  sterile  and  barren. 
To  ameliorate  this  unhappy  condition  of  things  the  Wa-kwafi 
have  developed  a  wonderfully  ingenious  system  of  irrigation 
by  artificial  canals  of  (for  them)  great  magnitude.  They 
construct  dams  across  the  deep  channel  of  the  Guaso  Tigirish 
and  thus  raise  the  level  of  the  water  to  that  of  the  plain, 
and  then,  by  an  intricate  network  of  channels,  they  spread 
the  precious  fluid  over  a  large  area,  and  raise  their  millet 
and  melons.  These  products  form  almost  their  sole  food, 
eked  out  by  what  they  are  able  to  kill  in  the  chase  and  by 
fish  from  the  river,  though  when  meat  is  scarce  they  are  not 
disdainful  even  of  rats.  Of  these  there  were  simply 
myriads.  They  swarmed  everywhere,  and  nothing  was  too 
sacred  for  them.  Need  it  be  wondered  if  "  oft  in  the  stilly 
night "  were  heard  imprecations  loud  and  deep  upon  the 
wretched  pests  when  I  have  been  wakened  up  by  my  nose 
being  bitten  or  the  sanctity  of  my  toe  invaded.  My  books 
were  devoured,  and  even  the  bullets  in  my  cartridges  were 
not  too  indigestible.  Everything,  indeed,  had  to  be  kept 
under  iron  or  hung  up  under  sheds  as  represented  on  page 
313. 

As  in  the  case  of  the  Wa-taveta,  the  Wa-njenips  are 
singularly  honest  and  reliable,  so  much  so  that  valuable 
goods  and  equally  valuable  food  are  left  in  their  charge  with 
the  utmost  confidence,  and  I  have  heard  of  no  case  of  this 
being  violated.  To  me,  one  of  the  most  remarkable  features  in 
the  character  of  the  young  women  and  girls  was  their  absolute 
unconsciousness  of  fear  in  my  presence,  and  the  complete 
confidence  they  seemed  to    have   in  me.     They  indeed  took 


TVa-njemps  Damsels. 


265 


possession  of  my  premises  with  the  most  agreeable  afnindon, 
lolled  about  the  floor  like  young  puppies,  examining  every- 
thing with  the  curiosity  of  monkeys.  They  scrupled  not  to 
sit  down  on  my  knee,  and  with  feminine  blandishments  which 
I  could  not  resist,  compelled  me  to  go  through  my  fashionable 
and  highly  original  entertainment  of  drawing  my  own  teeth. 
This  was  a  never-failiug  source  of  astonishment,  and  was 
received  each  time  with  flattering  remarks  of  appreciation. 
Martin,  desirous  of  reaping  cheap  fame  and  attracting  the 


D.    I.OBIKWE,    KAMASIA,  TBOX   HSAB   KJBUPS. 

attention  of  the  damsels,  got  beautifully  caught  on  one 
occasion.  He  had  been  trying  to  impress  upon  them  that  he 
could  do  all  that  sort  of  thing  as  well  as  I,  and  to  clench  his 
assertion  declared  that  if  one  of  them  cut  off  his  finger  he 
could  put  it  on  again.  He  was  holding  out  his  finger,  and 
before  he  knew  what  was  up  one  girl  had  made  a  vicious  cut 
at  it,  and  nearly  severed  it.  Martin  did  not  try  that  little 
game  again.  Next  in  interest  to  the  tooth-drawing  was  the 
examination  of  themselves  in  the  looking-glass.     It  was  some 


266  Theough  Masai  Land. 

days  before  they  seemed  to  grasp  the  uses  of  the  mirror,  but 
their  feminine  instincts  soon  told  them,  and  they  would 
frequently  get  it  to  see  that  their  ornaments  were  properly 
arranged.  A  few  photographs  of  some  of  their  charming 
white  sisters  which  I  happened  to  have  with  me  were  a  great 
source  of  delight.  They  actually  supposed  them  to  be  living 
beings,  and  if  told  that  they  were  asleep,  they  were  quite 
satisfied. 

In  the  midst  of  these  unsophisticated  people,  and  pleasing 
incidents  which  I  delight  to  recall,  several  days  rapidly 
passed.  My  experiences  were  further  varied  by  some 
shooting  trips,  in  one  of  which  I  was  so  fortunate  as  to 
secure  two  beisa  antelopes  (Orf/x  heisa),  the  first  I  had  seen. 
I  also  saw  for  the  first  time  the  lesser  kudu.  The  waterbiick 
were  ia  great  numbers  about  the  lake  to  which  I  paid  a 
visit. 

Before  my  arrival  at  Baringo  my  friend  Jumba  Kimameta 
had  proceeded  to  the  country  of  Engobot,  about  120  miles 
N.N.W.,  but  had  left  several  old  men  with  large  quantities 
of  food,  donkeys,  &c.,  pending  his  return  south.  He  had 
also  left  a  goodnatured  old  fool  to  go  with  me,  but  as  ho 
knew  no  more  than  myself  of  the  country  I  now  wanted  to 
traverse  I  could  not  see  the  use  of  him. 

And  now  the  final  stage,  the  most  uncertain  of  the  whole 
journey,  had  to  be  attempted  with  the  agreeable  know- 
ledge that  the  last  three  caravans  which  had  preceded  mo 
had  each  lost  more  than  one  hundred  men  by  violence.  One 
of  these  disasters  had  occurred  only  the  previous  year,  and 
yet  I  now  proposed  to  go  into  the  same  country  with  only 
one  hundred  men  all  told.  As  in  the  case  of  my  Lykipia 
trip,  the  traders  swore  it  was  impossible,  and  that  I  would 
never  get  back  alive.  My  own  men,  however,  had  come  to 
know  me  by  this  time,  and  there  was  not  a  remonstrance 
from  one  of  them.  Sadi,  though  greatly  against  it,  rose 
considerably  in  my  opinion  by  stating  that  he  was  ready  to 
follow  me.  Not  so  Muhinna.  He,  knowing  now  the 
futility  of  tears  and  entreaties,  took  a  new  line,  and  feigned 
extreme  illness,  groaned  mightily  as  if  with  racking  pain,  and 
if  he  came  to  the  door  did  so  only  with  the  aid  of  a  stick, 
his  body  bent  over  it,  sighing  deeply,  and  in  general  looking 
the  very  picture  of  woe.  I  knew  it  Avas  all  a  sham,  but  so 
thoroughly  did  I  detest  him  from  the  bottom  of  my  soul, 
and  so  much  was  I  afraid  that  in  the  event  of  my  taking  him 
be  would  play  me  some  ruinous  trick,  that  I  j)reteuded  to 


^-»'> 


■4^" 


m 


268  Throqgh  Masai  Land. 

believe  him,  and  was  glad  to  leave  him  behind — though, 
with  the  exception  of  his  brother  Mansimba,  who  was  too 
much  of  an  idiot  to  be  of  much  use,  he  was  the  only  man 
in  the  caravan  who  had  been  to  Kavirondo,  and  knew  it 
well. 

The  date  of  my  departure  being  fixed,  everything  that  was 
not  absolutely  wanted  Avas  secretly  buried,  as  much  to  safe- 
guard it  against  fire  as  from  any  fear  of  its  being  stolen.  All 
the  weak  and  sickly  were  weeded  out  and  left  as  a  sort  of 
guard  under  one  of  Stanley's  "  Immortals." 

A  few  days  previous  a  rather  sad  accident  happened.  One 
of  the  coastuien  had  got  a  huge  thorn  run  into  his  foot-joint, 
which  had  utterly  incapacitated  him,  as  he  would  not  allow 
me  to  cut  it  out.  This  had  lasted  nearly  six  weeks,  and  he 
had  in  consequence  become  very  low  in  spirits.  His  hut  in 
the  camp  happened  to  be  pretty  close  to  the  thorn-fence,  and 
apparently  a  hyena  had  discovered  that  there  was  a  disabled 
man  about.  Acting  on  this  idea  it  had  crashed  through  the 
ho7na  in  some  way,  seized  the  helpless  man,  and  dragged  him 
out  and  right  into  the  heart  of  the  fence  before  his  screams 
brought  out  the  porters,  who  by  firing  their  guns  drove  off 
the  ferocious  brute.  Next  morning  the  poor  fellow  died 
from  the  combined  effects  of  his  illness  and  the  fright.  I 
mention  this  incident  as  being  the  only  case  which  came 
directly  under  my  notice  of  a  hyena  seizing  a  living  man. 
It  would  seem  as  if  it  must  have  known  that  he  was  help- 
less. 

Before  setting  forth  once  more  I  found  it  necessary  to  "  do 
in  Rome  as  the  Romans  do  "  to  the  extent  of  assisting  in  the 
preliminary  ceremonies  of  making  the  caravan  medicines  and 
finding  out  a  proper  day  for  the  start.  Muinyi  Kombo — 
Jumba's  man — took  charge  of  these  interesting  matters. 
First  a  magic  bullet  had  to  be  cast.  This  had  to  be  made  in 
an  oblong  form  enclosing  a  verse  of  the  Koran.  At  1  p.m. 
precisely  I  had  to  fire  it  off  facing  due  south.  Its  destina- 
tion was  warranted  to  be  the  hearts  of  all  who  meant  me 
harm.  Of  this  murderous  fact  I  now  make  confession, 
though  I  have  been  pleased  to  imagine  that  I  must  have 
had  very  few  enemies,  as  I  have  heard  of  no  blood}'  deaths 
among  them.  An  hour  later  a  specially  prepared  piece  of 
steel  wrapped  in  red  cloth  was  put  in  a  fire  by  ^Martin,  who 
had  to  express  wishes  for  a  safe  and  successful  journey. 
The  fire  having  been  well  lit,  I  had  to  extinguish  it  with 
>vater,  expressing  at  the  same  tinie  the  amiable  desire  that 


CONVEKSATION   EXTEAORDINARY.  269 

all  who  meant  us  harm  might  be  quenched  even  as  the 
flame.  My  men,  being  of  a  more  irreverent  nature  than  the 
coast  people,  laughed  heartily  at  the  whole  farce.  This 
finished  our  part  in  these  curious  ceremonies.  A  sacrifice, 
however,  had  to  be  made  of  a  goat,  which  being  devoured  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  coast  greybeards  it  was  discovered 
that  Friday — their  Sunday — at  11  a.m.  was  the  day  and 
hour  decreed  by  the  Higher  Powers,  and  that  we  had  to 
take  a  buUock  with  us. 

On  Friday,  the  16th  of  November,  we  were  all  plunged 
into  the  agreeable  stir  and  excitement  of  a  renew^  start. 
At  11  a.m.  we  crossed  the  Guaso  Tigirish,  passed  to  the 
village  on  the  neighbouring  river,  and  then  struck  W.N.W. 
towards  Kamasia.  Reaching  the  edge  of  a  low,  flat  terrace 
of  the  range,  we  camped  on  the  Guaso  Tigirish,  near  the 
point  where  it  escapes  from  the  terrace — cutting  its  way  by 
a  deep,  narrow  gorge  through  crypto-crystalline  lavas  of 
recent  origin. 

In  the  afternoon  I  went  out  fishing,  and  in  a  short  time 
caught  three  and  a  half  dozen  beautiful  fish.  Leaving  camp 
next  morning,  we  ascended  the  terrace.  Crossing  the  top  by 
an  excruciating  pathway  over  angular  boulders  and  for- 
bidding thorns,  we  found  a  second  terrace,  which,  being 
traversed,  we  descended  into  the  bed  of  the  Guaso  Kamnye, 
a  small  stream  from  the  mountains  to  the  Lake,  though  only 
reaching  it  in  the  wet  season.  Following  up  the  Kamnye, 
we  entered  a  picturesque  glen  which  led  us  through  a  third 
terrace  of  lava  rocks  and  carried  us  apparently  in  the  very 
heart  of  the  Kamasia  Range. 

Our  arrival  was  speedily  announced  from  hill  to  hill  by  the 
calls  of  the  natives,  who,  living  in  isolated  houses  perched  on 
the  sides  of  the  mountains,  have  no  other  means  of  com- 
municating news  but  that  of  shouting.  It  was  truly  mar- 
vellous with  what  apparent  ease  they  seemed  to  be  able  to 
project  their  voices  immense  distances.  I  have  seen  a  man 
speaking  across  a  deep  valley  to  another  who  could  barely 
be  distinguished,  and  yet  not  raising  his  voice  more  than  if 
he  was  speaking  to  one  a  few  yards  off".  The  reply  of  the 
other  could  be  heard  with  remarkable  distinctness.  This 
curious  mode  of  communication  I  had  previously  observed 
among  the  mountains  of  LTcinga,  north  of  Kyassa.  In 
response  to  this  summons,  men  and  women  came  trooping 
in  on  all  sides  ;  the  former  for  their  hongo,  the  latter  to 
sell  small  quantities  of  food. 


^70  Through  Masai  Land. 

These  people  have  much  the  general  aspect  of  the  Masai, 
to  whom  they  are  distantly  related,  judging  from  their 
language  and  a  few  minor  details.  They  carried  the  spear 
distinctive  of  the  Suk  country.  It  is  seven  feet  long,  with 
head  small,  and  is  used  either  for  throwing  or  stabhing. 
They  also  carried  the  bow  and  arrow.  The  dress  of  the  men 
consisted  of  a  very  small  bit  of  kid-skin  hung  on  the  breast 
like  a  baby's  bib,  while  the  women  wore  two  dressed  skins, 
one  round  the  loins,  and  the  other  round  the  shoulders. 
They  cviltivate  chiefly  the  grain  known  as  uulizc  {eleusine) 
and  a  little  millet.  The  former  requires  new  ground  yearly. 
Their  mode  of  raising  a  crop  is  by  cutting  down  a  tract  of 
dense  bush,  leaving  the  sticks  and  branches  to  dry,  and  then 
burning  them  in  situ  so  as  to  form  manure  with  the  ashes. 
This  entails  an  enormous  labour.  The  existence  of  the 
Wa-kamasia  depends  entirely  upon  their  small  streams. 
These,  like  the  grass  with  the  Masai,  receive  their  pro- 
foundest  veneration,  and  a  native  rarely  crosses  a  rivulet  with- 
out spitting  on  some  grass,  and  throwing  it  into  the  stream. 

On  the  following  morning  we  left  our  camp  at  Mkuyu-ni 
(place  of  sycamore-trees),  and  by  a  very  precipitous  pathway, 
further  impeded  by  wretched  bushes,  we  reached  the  top  of 
the  mountain-pass,  and  found  ourselves  looking  down  on  a 
magnificent  landscape.  Immediately  at  our  feet  lay  the  glen 
which  we  had  just  left,  with  the  outer  dark-green  bush-clad 
hills  ebbing  away  into  the  variegated  green  of  the  lava 
terraces,  and  ending  in  the  sere  and  yellow  colours  of  the 
Njemps  plain.  Beyond  to  the  north-west  shimmered 
Baringo,  with  its  charming  islets  backed  by  the  weird  outline 
of  the  Suk  and  Lykipia  mountains,  seen  through  a  dense 
haze.  The  view  looking  south-west  embraced  the  head  of  the 
glen,  and  exhibited  a  wonderfully  picturesque  display  of 
peaks  and  rugged  masses  of  sharp,  serrated  ridges  with  scarred 
sides  like  colossal  files,  the  whole  covered  with  a  tint  of  richest 
verdure,  and  the  faintest  suggestion  of  an  ethereal,  silvery 
sheen. 

After  recovering  our  breath  and  photographing  the  head  of 
the  glen,  we  once  more  resumed  our  way,  descending  into 
a  deep  gorge,  which  here  divides  the  mountain  into  two 
ridges.  Reaching  the  western  ridge,  we  were  filled  with  a 
feeling  of  awe  at  the  impressive  spectacle  of  Elgeyo  rising 
as  a  stupendous  precipice  of  frowning  rocks  to  a  height  of 
over  8000  feet  from  the  valley  of  the  W^iwei,  which  lay 
between  us  and  this  m-and  sight. 


Elgeto. 


271 


During  the  whole  of  this  charming  though  trying  march 
we  were  kept  in  excitement  by  the  seemingly  supernatural 
shouts  that  echoed  and  re-echoed  from  apparently  the  most 
impossible  places.  We  had  to  halt  more  than  three  times  to 
arrange  the  hongo  before  we  were  allowed  to  pass.  The 
road  was  "shut"  by  placing  some  green  tvrigs  across  the 
pathway,  and  to  pass  over  that  sacred  symbol  before  permission 
was  accorded  was  sufficient  to  drive  the  people  into  fits  of 
uncontrollable  excitement.  We  camped  on  the  western  face 
of  the  range,  and  next  day  we  reached  the  base  of  the  moun- 


OLBX  OP   IH£   ai  ASO  EAJi.VTB. 

tain  by  a  more  gentle  gradient  and  a  less  stony  path  than 
had  characterized  the  eastern  side. 

It  remains  but  to  be  said  that  Kamasia  is  a  distinct  range  of 
mountains,  rising  from  8000  to  9000  feet  in  the  higher  peaks, 
and  forming  a  branch  or  ofishoot  from  the  Mau  escarpment, 
which  is  here  continued  north  under  the  name  of  Elgeyo. 
It  is  extremely  steep  and  abrupt  on  the  eastern  aspect,  shaduig 
away  more  gently  on  the  western.  It  is  covered  with  dense 
bush,  though  in  the  higher  parts  the  bush  becomes  forest. 
Notwithstanding  its  comparative  barrenness,  it  keeps  alive  a 


272  Through  Masai  Land. 

pretty  large  population,  who,  however,  are  ever  in  danger  of 
utter  starvation  from  periods  of  drought.  They  have  con- 
siderable herds  of  sheep  and  goats,  and  a  few  head  of  cattle. 

The  range  consisted  geologically  of  a  metamorphic  rock 
composed  of  a  white  striated  felspar,  a  little  quartz,  and 
black  mica  in  minute  scales.  A  fine  grey  clay  is  the  result 
of  the  decomposition  of  this  rock. 

On  the  following  day  we  crossed  the  narrow  valley  Avhich 
lies  between  Kamasia  and  Elgeyo,  through  which  flow  the 
head-waters  of  the  Weiwei,  a  stream  which,  after  running 
north  to  the  Suk  Mountains,  rounds  the  N.W.  end  of  that 
range,  and  finds  its  way  to  Samburu. 

At  Elmetei  Ave  had  to  stop  a  day  to  collect  food  for  the 
desert  march  across  the  Angata  Nyuki  (Red  Plain),  of  Guas' 
Ngishu.  We  here  found  that,  though  Elgeyo  was  marvel- 
lously steep  and  made  us  wonder  how  on  earth  we  should  ever 
be  able  to  ascend  it,  yet  it.  was  not  an  absolute  precipice. 
The  lower  part  presented  an  aspect  very  different  from  that 
of  the  upper,  being  a  striking  assemblage  of  sharp  ridges 
running  down  its  face  like  the  flutings  of  a  column,  though 
of  course  more  irregular  and  picturesque,  while  the  upper  part 
was  a  sheer  rock  precipice  of  the  most  unmistakable  charac- 
ter. On  moving  up  a  small  stream  which  tumbles  down 
the  mountain,  I  soon  found  a  clue  to  these  topographical 
features  in  tlae  shape  of  enormous  masses  of  porphyritic 
sanidine  rock,  exactly  resembling  that  found  on  the  south 
of  Kilimanjaro.  These  masses  were  so  big  that  I  could  hardly 
believe  that  they  were  not  in  their  natural  place.  They 
clearly,  however,  had  crashed  headlong  from  the  upper  preci- 
pices, which  indeed  were  neither  more  nor  less  than  a  lava 
cap  to  the  underlying  metamorphic  rocks. 

In  spite  of  a  heavy  day's  climb,  we  only  succeeded  in 
getting  about  three-fourths  up  the  mountain.  When  nearly 
at  the  base  of  the  precipice,  we  camped  to  enjoy  a  lovely 
view, — a  cascade  tumbling  little  short  of  1000  feet  over  the 
precipice,  a  charming  ledge  stretching  from  the  sheltering  wall, 
over  whose  bushy  ridges  peeped  forth  romantic  huts  and 
cultivated  patches.  A  further  clue  to  the  origin  of  the  lava 
precipice  was  obtained  by  finding  that  between  the  almost 
vertical  beds  of  the  metamorphic  rocks  and  the  lava  lay  a 
thick  deposit  of  volcanic  debris,  whose  easy  erosion  led  to  the 
undermining  of  the  more  compact  lava  and  consequent 
toppling  of  the  same  down  into  the  valley  below,  thus  ever 
•  forming  new  surfaces. 


Hard  Climbing. 


070 


Renewing  our  hard  climb,  we  braced  ourselves  for  the  last 
spurt,  though,  as  we  looked  up  at  the  grim  and  frowning  mass, 
it  required  a  considerable  amount  of  faith  to  imagine  that  it 
could  ever  be  surmounted.  However,  a  guide  led  the  way, 
and  gasping  for  breath,  and  grasping  for  life,  we  pushed  up. 
As  I  was  beginning  to  be  afraid  that  we  were  to  be  beat,  a 
small  crack  was  descried  in  the  apparently  impregnable  rocks, 
and  by  creeping  and  crawling  we  ascended  foot  by  foot.  As 
we  neared  the  top,  I  was  struck  with  astonishment  to  hear  a 
sound  like  a  great  sighing  as  of  a  storm  rushing  through  a 


LATA  Cap,   i.^ 


iiCABPMEXT. 


forest,  and  to  see  the  clouds  immediately  overhead  whirling 
with  great  violence  eastward,  and  yet  where  I  was  hardly  a 
breath  of  air  disturbed  the  repose  of  the  leaflets.  As  we 
crept  on,  however,  slight  whiflfs  of  wind  told  us  what  was 
above,  arid  these  gradually  increased  in  force,  till,  putting  our 
heads  above  the  shelter  of  the  precipice,  we  got  an  unmistakable 
slap  in  the  face  which  heightened  my  colour  considerably. 
There  was,  in  fact,  a  perfect  hurricane  raging  at  the  top,  and 
we  had  to  crawl  on  hands  and  knees  some  distance  from  the 
face  of  the  precipice  lest  we  should  be  hurled  back. 

T 


274  Through  Masai  Land. 

As  at  Dondole,  we  were  presently  enveloped  in  the  very- 
rawest  and  most  orthodox  of  Scotch  mists,  which  soon  soaked 
us  to  the  skin.  We  found  the  top  of  Elgeyo  capped  by  a 
dense  forest  of  junipers,  with  an  almost  inpenetrable  under- 
growth of  sturdy  bush.  Dense  banks  of  fog  seem  to  hang 
almost  continuously  over  those  high  elevations.  • 

Half  an  hour  along  a  hunter's  track  brought  us  to  the 
edge  of  the  forest,  and  before  us  lay  the  treeless  expanse  of 
the  Ked  Plain  of  Guas'  Ngishu.  My  men,  however,  were  too 
much  paralyzed  by  the  cold  to  move  forward  that  day.  We 
were  therefore  forced  to  camp  and  light  great  bonfires  to 
revive  them.  We  were  fortunate  in  falling  upon  the  camp  of 
the  last  caravan  which  had  passed  into  Kavirondo,  and  a  few 
loads  of  grass  were  all  that  was  needed  to  make  it  inhabitable. 

The  day  clearing  up  somewhat,  I  went  outside,  and  from 
an  eminence  was  rewarded  by  a  totally  unexpected  sight — a 
magnificent  mountain  some  sixty  miles  to  the  W.N.W,, 
comparable  in  size  to  Mount  Kenia  itself,  without  the  upper 
snow-clad  peak.  This  was  Elgon  or  Masawa,  famed  for  its 
caves,  and  which  I  had  been  led  to  believe  to  be  an  insig- 
nificant hill.  To  the  north  rose  the  imposing  range  of 
Chibcharagnani,  which  runs  at  right  angles  to  Elgeyo,  and 
almost  extends  to  Elgon.  Due  west  shaded  gently  away  the 
treeless  plain  of  Guas'  Ngishu,  unbroken  except  by  one 
slight  eminence,  till  in  the  distant  horizon  rose  the  conical 
peak  of  Surongai,  the  boundary-wall  of  Kavirondo.  We 
knew  that  somewhere  beyond  those  hills  lay  the  waters  of 
the  great  lake  of  which  I  was  in  search. 

As  already  mentioned,  this  magnificent  grassy  reach  was 
formerly  grazed  over  by  the  Wa-kwafi  till,  a  few  years 
previously,  they  had  to  a  man  been  driven  off  by  the  Masai, 
and  now  the  bufialo,  eland,  hartebeest,  rhinoceros,  and  zebra 
feed  undisturbed,  except  by  a  chance  caravan  or  an  Andorobbo 
hunter. 

On  the  24th  of  November  I  had  just  got  down  my  tent 
and  Avas  on  the  point  of  departure,  when  a  horrid  driving 
drizzle  set  in  with  a  high  wind,  which  made  a  march  im- 
possible, and  compelled  us  at  a  temperature  of  less  than  50° 
to  shiver  over  the  fires  in  the  shelter  of  the  forest.  If  we 
had.  been  caught  in  the  open,  not  one  half  of  the  men  would 
have  survived,  there  being  no  shelter  and  no  firewood. 

Towards  10  a.m.  matters  improved,  and  we  wasted  no 
time  in  striking  camp,  as  it  would  require  our  very  best  efforts 
to  cross  the  worst  part  and  reach  a  hollow  where  there  was 


Nandi  and  its  People.  275 

shelter  and  a  little  firewood.  As  usual,  I  was  considerably 
ahead  with  my  advance-guard,  stepping  out  at  a  great  pace 
through  tall  grass  which  reached  my  knees,  when  we  were 
greeted  by  a  shout  of  "  Kifaru  !  kifaru  !  "  (rhinoceros) ;  turn- 
ing round,  our  equanimity  was  considerably  upset  by  the 
sight  of  a  fine  big  fellow  tearing  down  upon  us  within  forty 
yards.  My  gallant  men  scattered  like  startled  deer,  and  even 
Brahim,  who  carried  my  gun,  was  showing  me  his  rear,  when 
I  yelled  at  him  to  give  the  weapon  to  me.  Ere  I  secured 
the  gun  the  rhinoceros  was  within  ten  yards.  I  instantly 
fired  right  in  its  face.  This  was  not  sufficient  to  bring  it 
down,  but  it  had  the  effect  of  m.aking  it  swerve,  and  as  it 
went  puffing  past  me  within  three  yards  I  gave  it  the  second 
bullet  in  the  neck.  Down  it  dropp>ed  with  the  most  astounding 
velocity,  squealing  with  a  ludicrous  resemblance  to  a  pig. 
My  Andorobbo  guide  was  so  amazetl  at  my  f)erformance,  that 
for  a  moment  he  stood  like  one  paralyzed,  and  then  made  as 
if  to  run  away  in  absolute  fright.  I  succeeded,  however,  in 
reassuring  him.  My  men,  not  having  had  any  meat  for  a 
very  long  time  to  take  with  their  unj>alatable  mUlet,  fought 
like  hyenas  over  the  rhinoceros.  One  man  got  badly  slashed 
in  the  arm  with  a  knife,  and  I  had  at  last  to  restore  order  in 
a  very  summarj'  fashion. 

Some  distance  farther  on  I  was  interested  in  discovering 
an  outcrop  of  quartzite,  and  near  the  spot  I  shot  three 
hartebeest  (AhelapJius  caamd),  the  first  of  the  kind  I  had 
seen — the  hartebeest  found  further  south  being  a  species 
first  shot  by  Col.  Coke,  and  now  just  described  under  his 
name.     (See  title-page.) 

We  crossed  a  number  of  fine  streams  all  flowing  towards 
the  Lake  ;  and  as  the  sun  set  we  reached  our  camping-place, 
where  we  were  happy  in  finding  a  sheltered  nook  and  some 
small  bits  of  firewood.  From  this  place  we  could  .see  the 
high  forest  region  of  Nandi,  which  seems  to  be  a  curious 
counterpart  of  Kikuyu.  It  appeared  in  the  south  as  a  long 
dark  ridge  running  apparently  X."W.  and  S.K  The  "Wa- 
nandi  are  allied  in  language,  and  customs  to  the  "Wa-kamasia 
and  Wa-elgeyo,  though  much  braver  and  more  warlike.  In 
their  intractable  character  they  resemble  the  "Wa-kikuyu,  and 
neither  can  trading-caravans  enter  peaceably  their  domains 
nor  Masai  warriors  forcibly.  To  the  north  in  the  far  distance 
could  be  descried  the  very  high  conical  moimtain  Donyo  Le 
Kakisera,  which  is  described  as  being  sometimes  streaked 
witli  snow. 

T  2 


276  Through  Masai  Land. 

Before  reaching  camp  I  had  been  much  struck  by  a 
curious  circular  wall  of  earth  with  openings  here  and  there. 
It  had  a  surprising  resemblance  to  a  Pictish  encampment. 
On  inquiry  I  learned  that  it  had  been  -a  Masai  kraal,  the 
houses  having  been  built  of  stone  and  mud,  owing  to  the 
difficulty  of  obtaining  the  necessary  wood  to  build  the 
regulation  huts.  They  must  have  been  mere  heaps  of  stone 
and  earth,  with  holes  in  the  centre,  which  in  the  inclement 
weather  could  be  covered  with  bullock's  hides,  and  the  in- 
habitants must  have  sat  in  them  like  birds  in  their  nests — 
only  with  a  very  great  deal  more  discomfort.  Now  they 
appear  only  as  a  circle  of  earthworks. 

Xext  morning,  as  we  neared  the  western  hills,  the  country 
became  more  diversified  and  pleasing — rolling  in  gentle 
undulations  and  dotted  over  with  a  flowering  shrub.  Game 
existed  in  very  great  numbers,  and  I  kept  our  larder  well 
supplied  by  knocking  over  a  wart-hog,  which  proved  very 
good  eating — though  only  the  mission  boys  would  touch  it. 
Further  on  an  eland  fell  to  my  gun,  next  a  hartebeest,  and 
finally,  at  camp,  no  less  than  three  more  of  those  antelopes. 
Bufifalo  we  saw  in  very  great  numbers,  but  I  did  not  disturb 
them. 

Next  day  we  entered  a  more  hilly  country,  and  had  to 
cross  a  large  river  three  times,  much  to  our  discomfort.  ■ 
Game,  especially  buffalo,  was  in  amazing  abundance,  and  we 
were  in  considerable  danger  of  being  scattered  on  three 
separate  occasions  by  herds.  I  had  to  fire  at  them  re- 
peatedly, and  I  wounded  several,  but  time  was  too  precious 
to  be  wasted  following  them  up  ;  all  the  more  so  as  we  were 
going  entirely  at  haphazard,  our  guide  having  returned  two 
days  previously. 

On  camping  I  sent  Makatubu  and  Mansimba  to  reconnoitre 
ahead,  as  it  was  desirable  that  we  should  know  our  where- 
abouts, and  not  be  taken  by  surprise.  Their  report  was  not 
very  decided,  but  led  us  to  believe  that  we  should  reach  the 
inhabited  part  of  Kavirondo  on  the  morrow. 

Next  day  we  ascended  a  range  of  hills  which  lay  before 
us.  When  at  the  top  we  found  a  narrow  valley  and  a  second 
range  of  hills  beyond.  Going  off  with  three  men  to 
reconnoitre,  we  descended  into  the  valley.  It  was  chiefly 
remarkable  for  the  length  of  the  grass,  which  made  walking 
a  serious  labour,  and  for  the  number  of  small  streams 
flowing  north  to  the  river  Nzoia.  I  was  greatly  interested 
to  discover  growing  in  the  valley  a  splendid  Protea.     On 


tt^^^^^yfe 


lii^ 


(l.    -.       *0  1 


278  Through  Masai  Land. 

reaching  tlie  top  of  the  second  range  we  were  relieved  and 
gratified  to  find  Kavirondo  lying  at  our  feet,  and  soon  we 
were  pointing  out  to  each  other  curling  columns  of  smoke 
and  square  patches  of  variegated  green,  which  told  of 
inhabitants  and  cultivation.  Eetuming  on  our  path,  we 
presently  picked  up  the  men.  Then  with  much  circum- 
spection we  crossed  the  hills  and  camped  at  their  base,  taking 
care  to  build  a  strong  homa. 

On  the  28th  of  November,  1883,  I  entered  the  village  of 
Kabaras,  picturesquely  situated  on  the  face  of  a  boulder-clad 
hill,  and  surrounded  by  smiling  fields.  It  was  with  a 
considerable  degree  of  trepidation  that  I  encountered  the 
Wa-kavirondo  for  the  first  time,  after  the  bloodthirsty 
character  I  had  heard  ascribed  to  them.  I  was  soon,  however, 
agreeably  surprised  to  hear  the  familiar  coast  "  Yambo  1 " 
(How  do  you  do  ?)  shouted  from  all  sides,  as  people  came 
rushing  from  the  village  on  seeing  my  men  appear  from  the 
jungle.  When  they  caught  sight  of  me  there  was,  how- 
ever, a  considerable  change  in  their  manner.  Symptoms  of 
astonishment  and  terror  were  very  evident.  They  hastily 
retreated  inside  the  mud  walls  which  surround  their  village, 
and  feeling  then  somewhat  more  secure,  they  crowded  on  to 
the  top  and  demanded  explanations.  Inside  could  be  descried 
men  rushing  about  from  hut  to  hut  in  the  midst  of  a 
tremendous  uproar,  and  immediately  afterwards  they 
appeared  with  war-dress  and  spear,  ready  for  the  expected 
battle.  Ordering  my  men  to  halt,  and  laying  aside  my 
rifle,  I  went  forward  with  one  of  ray  boys  and  tried  to 
explain  who  I  was  and  with  what  peaceable  aims  and 
intentions  I  had  come  among  them.  A  Iduzz  of  astonishment 
greeted  my  appearance,  and  presently  an  encouraging  sign 
was  visible  in  the  appearance  of  women  among  the  men, 
brought  out  evidently  by  the  ungovernable  curiosity  of  the 
sex.  My  protestations  had  the  desired  effect,  and  at  last 
a  few  old  men  ventured  forth,  chiefly  Andorobbo  who  live 
here.  Mansimba  was  then  recognized  as  an  old  friend,  and 
in  response  to  a  shout  of  reassurance,  men,-  women,  and 
children  flocked  out  to  see  the  newest  human  prodigy. 

It  was  now  my  turn  to  feel  a  measure  of  astonishment, 
awkwardness,  and  bashfulnoss,  as  I  found  myself  surrounded 
by  a  bevy  of  undraped  damsels,  whose  clothes  and  ornaments 
consisted  of  a  string  of  beads.  I  had  much  to  do  to  keep 
my  countenance,  and  Avas  at  a  loss  Avhere  to  look.  Gradually, 
however,  getting  accustomed  to  the  crowd,  I  gave  up  star- 


The  Wa-kavibondo. 


279 


gazing,  and  before  long  it  seemed  the  most  natural  thing  in 
the  world  to  dress — I  mean  to  be  without  dress— in  that 
way,  and  I  began  to  make  wise  reflections  about  the  atro- 
cities of  an  over-civilized  community,  and  to  appreciate  for 
the  first  time  the  appropriateness  of  the  saying  al)0ut  beauty 
being  "  when  unadorned  adorned  the  most."     To  proceed, 


KABUIED   WOMEK,   KATrBOlfDO. 


however,  I  was  soon  on  the  best  of  terms  with  the  natives 
^Ve  were  conducted  inside  the  village,  and  a  place  assigned 
to  me  to  pitch  my  tent,  while  the  men  stowed  themselves 
away  under  eaves  or  in  huts,  in  short,  wherever  they  could 
find  a  convenient  shelter.     As  for    myself,  I  called  for  my 


280  Through  Masai  Land. 

camp-stool,  and  getting  a  cup  of  tea,  proceeded  to  accustom 
myself  to  the  great  unclad,  as  well  as  to  familiarize  the 
simple  folks  with  my  own  remarkable  person. 

The  notes  I  formed  mentally  while  I  sat  observing  and  being 
observed  were  to  this  effect.  The  Wa-kavirondo  are  by  no 
means  attractive  in  their  appearance,  and  contrast  unfavour- 
ably with  the  Masai.  Their  heads  are  of  a  distinctly  lower 
type,  eyes  dull  and  muddy,  jaAvs  somewhat  prognathous, 
mouth  unpleasantly  large,  and  lips  thick,  projecting  and 
everted — they  are  in  fact  true  negroes.  Their  figures  are 
better,  though  only  among  the  unmarried  young  women 
could  they  be  said  to  be  in  any  sense  pleasing  to  look  at. 
Among  the  married  women  the  abdomen  is  aggressively 
protuberant,  and  roughly  tattooed  without  any  attempt  at 
design.  These  also  exhibit  the  rudiments  of  a  dress,  and 
some  sense  of  decency.  In  the  former  they  have  drawn 
their  inspiration  from  nature — a  long  tassel  of  cord  worn 
behind,  with  a  ludicrous  resemblance  to  a  tail,  forming  the 
chief  article  of  clothing,  and  a  fringe  of  cord,  four  inches 
square,  comprising  all  the  rest.  The  men  go  absolutely 
naked,  and  are  remarkable  for  their  athletic  build,  and  the 
unusual  size  of  the  body  in  comparison  with  the  legs.  In 
this  matter  of  proportion  they  are  also  distinctly  inferior  to 
the  Masai.  It  is  at  once  seen  from  their  weapons  that  they 
are  not  a  warlike  people,  their  spears  being  of  the  very 
poorest,  with  small  heads  and  handles  commonly  eight  feet 
long,  as  if  they  had  no  desire  to  get  into  close  quarters  Avitli 
their  enemies.  Their  shields  are  of  all  shapes  and  sizes, 
though  the  characteristic  Kavirondo  form  is  enormous  in 
dimensions  and  weight.  It  consists  of  an  almost  entire 
buffalo  skin,  four  feet  long  and  as  much  broad,  bent  so  as  to 
form  an  angle,  thus  surrounding  the  bearer  completely 
except  in  the  rear.  When  advancing  to  the  attack  nothing 
but  his  head  is  seen.  So  heavy  and  unweildy  is  this  shield, 
that,  except  in  actual  battle,  it  has  to  be  carried  slung  on  the 
back,  and  in  flight  must  be  thrown  away. 

The  Wa-kavirondo  delight  in  getting  themselves  up  in 
the  most  fantastic  head-dresses.  Antelopes'  horns,  cocks' 
tail-feathers,  basket  and  leather  work  are  all  enlisted  to  pro- 
duce the  most  awe-inspiring  effects.  Their  huts  are  of  the 
conventional  beehive  shape — roof  sometimes  sharply  conical, 
at  other  times,  as  at  Kabaras,  rising  very  slightly.  Inside 
they  are  either  ideally  clean  and  nice  or  disgustingly  fdthy. 
The  former  is  the  case  with  the  huts  of  the  poorer  people, 


Huts  of  the  Wa-kaviroxdo. 


281 


who  have  no  goats  or  cattle.  Those  have  the  floor  beaten 
smooth  and  hard  with  clay,  a  fireplace  especially  built,  and 
not  a  speck  of  refuse  left  lying  about.  The  special  feature 
of  those  huts  is  the  wonderful  array  of  pombe-i^ts,  ranging 
in  size  from  a  few  inches  to  three  feet  in  height.  Being 
conical  at  the  base,  they  have  special  clay  sockets  for  their 
reception.  In  almost  every  hut  there  is  a  very  curious  bee- 
house.  This  is  a  hollowed  log  of  wood  fixed  up  inside,  but 
with  one  end  projecting  through  the  wall  to  admit  of  the 
ingress  and  egress  of  the  bees.  Strangely  enough,  though 
the  house   is  frequently  filled  with  smoke,  and  the  honey 


liro  WALLS   AJ.D  OATBWAT,    MAESAXA,    KAVIBOKDO. 

acquires  a  black  colour  and  most  disagreeable  taste,  it  does 
not  drive  the  busy  insects  away.  By  this  arrangement  the 
Wa-kavirondo  are  able  to  extract  the  comb  whenever  they 
desire. 

The  description  of  the  other  order  of  huts  almost  requires 
to  be  approached  with  a  scented  handkerchief  to  one's  nose. 
In  these  the  most  perfect  good-fellowship  exists  between  a 
couple  of  cows,  three  or  four  goats  and  sheep,  a  dog,  sundry 
cocks  and  hens  in  the  rafters,  the  lady  of  the  house,  her 
lord  (when  it  pleases  him.to  visit  her)  and  a  lot  of  children. 


282  TflEouGH  Masai  Land. 

A  fire  burns  in  the  centre,  and  there  is  no  other  exit  for  the 
smoke  than  the  door,  which  is  kept  closed.  The  native 
charms  of  this  abode  of  unsophisticated  "niggers"  is 
mightily  enlivened  by  innumerable  fleas,  lice,  &c.  It  will 
be  easily  understood  how  cosy  and  warm  the  hut  will  be  on 
chilly  nights,  and  the  imagination  will  not  be  at  a  loss  to 
picture  a  delightful  group.  Children  nestling  close  to  the 
cow,  like  young  puppies  to  their  mother ;  the  mother  leaning 
contentedly  on  a  sheep  or  a  goat;  the  cow  breathing 
heavily  as  it  complacently  chews  its  cud,  and  meditates,  now 
on  the  rich  pasturage,  anon  on  the  amenities  of  its  nightly 
dwelling ;  the  dog  wriggling  about  till  it  has  ensconced 
itself  among  the  children  ;  while  the  sage  cock  from  its 
perch  looks  down  benignantly  through  the  gloom  upon  the 
happy  family  snoring  below,  and,  seeing  that  all  is  well, 
waits  patiently  through  the  watches  of  the  night,  ready  to 
sing  forth  its  rousing  notes  on  the  approach  of  daAvn. 

The  Wa-kavirondo  protect  their  villages  by  strong  mud 
walls  with  an  outer  fosse,  or  dry  ditch.  The  clayey  charac- 
ter of  the  soil  formed  by  the  decomposition  of  the  granites, 
lends  itself  very  well  to  this  purpose,  from  its  tenacity  and 
hardness  when  dry.  The  engraving  of  Kabaras  and  that  of 
Massala  show  this  feature. 

We  were  now  in  the  midst  of  abundance.  The  hardships 
and  horrors  of  our  late  fare  were  forgotten,  as  we  picked  the 
bones  of  fat  Kavirondo  fowls,  with  accompaniments  of  ground- 
nuts, sweet  potatoes,  and  maize.  How  delicious  these  good 
things  tasted,  and  with  what  a  glorious  appetite  we  applied 
ourselves  to  them,  till  sighs  of  satisfaction  told  us  that  the 
elasticity  of  even  our  digestive  organs  had  a  limit !  We 
had  partaken  of  our  meal  under  the  wondering  gaze  of  the 
natives,  and  we  now,  in  the  cool  of  the  evening,  sat  outside 
and  examined  them  again  as  we  sipped  our  coffee. 

Observing  some  of  the  young  women  dancing  a  little 
distance  off,  we  persuaded  them,  on  the  promise  of  beads,  to 
come  and  perform  before  us.  We  Avere  greatly  amused  at 
the  manner  in  which  they  enjoyed  the  "  poetry  of  motion." 
With  demure  aspect,  bashful,  and  doubtless  blushing  (if 
their  colour  would  have  shown  it),  with  hands  laid  close  to 
each  other  in  front  of  the  waist,  they  advanced  to  the 
clapping  and  singing  of  the  crowd.  Next  they  alternately 
threw  forward  each  foot ;  then  there  was  a  jerk  of  the 
shoulders  as  if  a  dynamite  pill  had  burst  beneath  the 
shoulder  blade.     This  was  repeated  with  growing  rapidity, 


Highly  flavoured  Milk.  283 

culminating  in  a  grand  "  break-down,"  and  shoulders  and 
arms  seemed  as  if  they  would  fly  off,  so  marvello'is  was  the 
celerity  with  which  they  moved  the  muscles  of  the  upper 
part  of  the  body.  This  performance  we  encore«i  heartily, 
and  as  we  threw  largesse  to  the  performers,  there  was  soon  a 
grand  struggle  for  the  honour  and  emoluments  attaching  to 
the  entertainment  of  such  liberal  visitors.  They  were  ready 
to  any  extent  to  contribute  to  our  delectation  by  tlieir 

" Qaips  and  cranks  and  wanton  wiles; 
Nods  and  becks  and  wreathed  smiles." 

As  night  fell  we  voted  each  other  ri^t  good  friends,  and 
retired  to  our  respective  quarters. 

2s^ext  morning  a  large  bowl  of  milk  was  brought  to  me. 
As  I  was  about  to  enjoy  the  refreshing  draught  I  thought  I 
smelt  something  queer.  I  pursed  my  brow,  and  sniffed 
again.  Then  I  screwed  up  my  face,  let  the  bowl  fall,  placed 
my  hands  across  my  stomach,  and  rushed  into  my  tent,  from 
which  afterwards  might  have  been  heard  sounds  not 
unknown  on  the  Channel  boats  in  roughish  weather. 
Equilibrium  restored,  I  called  a  council  to  inquire  into  the 
ingredients  of  that  strange  drink.  It  was  discovered  that 
the  cow  is  made  to  add  to  the  volume  and  flavour  of  her 
mUk  by  another  animal  liquid,  which,  as  far  as  I  am  aware, 
lias  never  been  used  in  England  for  adulteration.  The  said 
liquid  is  kept  standing  a  few  days  to  develop  its  "  bouquet " 
and  "  body,"  before  being  added  to  the  milk.  The  result  I 
wiU  leave  the  reader  to  imagine.  Another  delightful  dis- 
covery of  the  habits  of  the  Wa-kavirondo  was,  that  they 
milked  their  cows  into  vessels  plastered  inside  with  dung. 
Upon  the  whole,  therefore,  it  wiU  be  seen  that  these 
unsophisticated  people  revel  in  somewhat  highly  flavoured 
refreshments. 

We  stopped  a  day  at  Kabaras,  as  it  was  imperative  we 
should  proceed  gently  if  we  wanted  to  go  far.  So  in  the 
intervals  of  photographing  the  village,  and  taking  some 
astronomical  observations,  we  set  the  young  men  and 
maidens  a-dancing,  and  with  lavish  hand  threw  beads 
among  them.  Our  day's  stay  allowed  the  news  of  our 
arrival  to  precede  us,  as  well  as  the  fact  of  our  friendly 
character  and  open-handed  generosity. 

Next  day  we  resumed  our  march  for  the  chief  town  of 
Upper  Kavirondo,  namely  Kwa-Sundu.  We  passed  over  a 
fertile,  rolling   country,  watered   by  a   perfect  network  of 


284  Through  Masai  Land. 

rivulets,  the  existence  of  which.  I  can  only  account  for  on 
the  theory  that  they  really  come  from  the  eastern  highlands 
of  Guas'  Ngishu,  finding  their  way  underground,  to  spring 
forth  in  the  lower  levels  of  Kavirondo.  We  found  that  on 
leaving  the  grassy  plateau  of  Guas'  Ngishu,  with  its  gentle, 
even  slope  westward,  we  had  left  behind  the  lava  rocks,  and 
entered  a  more  broken  area  characterized  geologically  by 
porphyritic  granites,  which  weathered  rapidly  into  reddish 
clays,  leaving  innumerable  enormous  blocks  of  the  less  easily 
denuded  parts.  The  district  seemed  to  be  strewn  over  with 
colossal  boulders,  just  as  in  some  parts  of  our  own  country, 
where  glacial  erratics  dot  the  fields  though  not  quite  so 
numerously. 

What  most  impressed  me  was  the  surprising  number  of 
villages,  and  the  generally  contented  and  well-to-do  air  of 
the  inhabitants.  It  was  almost  like  a  triumphal  progress, 
and  we  were  quite  in  the  mood  to  amuse  ourselves  by  look- 
ing at  it  in  that  light,  as  we  were  rapidly  approaching  the 
goal  of  our  hopes,  Victoria  Nyanza.  Almost  every  foot  of 
ground  was  under  cultivation.  Yet  the  people  seem  to  have 
some  idea  of  the  value  of  a  rotation  of  crops,  for  they  allow 
land  to  lie  fallow  occasionally,  such  parts  being  used  as 
pasture-ground  for  the  cattle  and  flocks. 

We  passed  along  a  perfect  lane  of  people,  all  carrying 
baskets  of  food  which  they  were  dying  to  dispose  of  for 
beads.     There  were  honey,  milk,  eggs,  fowls,  beans,  &c.,  &c. 

On  the  second  day  we  reached  the  town  of  an  important 
chief  of  this  region,  named  Sakwa.  We  here  found  con- 
siderable numbers  of  the  original  Wa-kwafi  of  Guas'  Ngishu, 
Avho  had  been  compelled  to  take  refuge  among  the  Wa- 
kavirondo,  and  now  they  were  proving  to  be  a  poisonous 
power  among  their  more  peaceable  and  genial  hosts.  They 
lived  like  paupers,  and  were  setting  one  chief  to  fight 
another,  breaking  up  the  harmony  of  the  tribe,  and  plunging 
it  into  endless  feuds.  They  are  also  initiating  their  hosts 
into  the  charms  of  levying  black- mail,  and,  like  ideal  stage- 
villains,  they  are  ever  ready  to  instil  bad  council  into  the 
ears  of  the  chiefs. 

They  tried  the  same  insolent  swagger  and  arrogance  with 
us,  but  I  was  not  slow  to  let  them  understand  that  what  I 
could  endure  among  the  Masai  in  their  own  country  I  Avould 
not  tolerate  from  them.  In  fact,  from  a  certain  hitherto 
suppressed  feeling  of  revenge,  it  gave  me  no  small  pleasure 
to  cut  up  rough  among  these   rascals,  and  to  be  explosive 


Kwa-Sdndu.  285 

when  any  one  of  them  presumed  too  much  on  my  forljear- 
ance.  My  men  also  delighted  to  have  it  out  with  them, 
and  turned  the  tahles  on  them  by  scowling  fearfully  and 
threatening  to  do  unutterable  things. 

Sakwa  made  himself  very  agreeable  by  rushing  after  his 
subjects  when  they  became  too  troublesome  and  pressing, 
driving  them  off  with  blows,  and  not  even  disdaining  to  pick 
up  stones  and  hurl  them  after  the  scampering  crowd.  On 
some  of  these  occasions  a  number  of  the  young  "  mashers  " 
of  the  town  took  advantage  of  the  scramble  to  knock  down 
several  men  of  the  neighbouring  villages  and  steal  their 
food. 

On  the  3rd  of  December  I  arrived  at  the  town  of  Sundu 
(Kwa-Sundu).  This  place,  under  the  father  of  the  present 
chief,  was  one  of  great  importance  and  size ;  but  since  his 
death  it  has  gradually  dwindled  away,  till  the  walls  enclose 
more  matx'imma  fields  and  grass  patches  than  huts.  The 
inhabitants  under  an  effeminate  prince  have  no  special 
advantages,  and  consequently  prefer  to  live  in  smaller 
villages,  to  be  nearer  their  fields.  Kwa-Sundu  occupies 
the  summit  of  a  ridge  overlooking  a  splendid  river,  named 
the  Xzoia,  which,  gathering  its  waters  from  the  plateau, 
and  from  Elgon  and  Chibcharagnani,  flows  "W.S.W.to  the 
Lake. 

The  present  chief  is  a  mild  and  pleasant  young  man,  and 
we  were  soon  on  the  best  of  terms  with  each  other.  Though 
of  a  sluggish  temperament,  and  possessing  none  of  the  mental 
activity  of  {he  Masai,  he  enjoyed  enormously  examining  my 
photographs.  He  Ijecame  so  enthusiastic  over  the  charms 
of  one  young  lady,  who  was  represented  as  posing  aesthetically 
over  a  sunflower,  that  he  gave  me  a  large  order  for  a  bevy 
after  that  pattern  at  two  tusks  of  ivory  a  head.  I  said  I 
would  see  what  I  could  do  for  him. 

I  was  very  much  interested  in  discovering  that  Kavirondo 
does  not  at  all  occupy  the  place  which  has  been  assigned  to 
it  on  our  maps — that  is  to  say,  about  the  middle  of  the 
eastern  shore  of  the  Laka  In  reality  it  lies  on  the  north- 
east comer  of  the  Lake,  and  extends  from  about  thirty  miles 
north  of  the  equator  to  about  as  much  south  of  it.  What 
was  still  more  important  was  the  discovery  that  a  part  of 
Kavirondo  really  occupied  a  considerable  area  represented  by 
water  on  the  maps.  According  to  the  maps,  Kwa-Sundu  lay 
only  some  four  or  five  miles  north  of  the  Lake,  and  yet  from 
considerable  eminence  I  could  doscry  nothing  but  a  rolling 


286  Through  Masai  Land. 

expanse  of  cultivated  country,  and  no  lake  in  sight.  On 
inquiry  I  learned  that  the  nearest  way  to  the  Lake  was  loest, 
and  that  going  S.S.W.  it  could  only  be  reached  in  four  days. 
We  shall  thus  make  a  very  moderate  estimate  if  we  put  the 
distance  at  forty  miles — probably  it  is  considerably  more. 

The  Wa-kavirondo  are  apparently  a  homogeneous  race, 
and  have  very  much  the  same  outward  ai^pearance,  manners 
and  customs.  Yet  on  inquiry  and  examination  I  was  enabled 
to  bring  the  interesting  fact  to  light  that  there  were  two 
totally  distinct  languages.  The  inhabitants  of  what  we  may 
call  Lower  Kavirondo,  and  the  regions  more  immediately 
around  the  Lake  shore,  speak  a  language  resembling  in 
vocabulary  and  construction  that  spoken  by  the  Nile  tribes, 
while  those  of  Upper  Kavirondo  speak  a  Bantu  dialect  so 
closely  allied  to  the  Ki-swahili  that  my  men  had  no  difficulty 
in  making  themselves  understood.  It  is  even  more  closely 
allied  to  the  Ki-ganda.  The  natives  of  Lower  Kavirondo 
further  show  their  race  affinities  by  their  custom  of  wearing 
a   stone  ornament   dangling   from   and   through   the   lower 

lip-    .        . 

It  is  quite  unnecessary  to  enlarge  upon  the  customs,  religious 

beliefs,  &c.,  of  these  people,  as  they  present  no  marked  vari- 
ation from  those  already  well  known  as  characteristic  of  East 
African  negroes  generally.  The  connection  of  the  natives  of 
Upper  Kavirondo  with  the  latter  is  illustrated  (and  that  very 
markedly)  by  their  habit  of  throwing  sticks,  stones,  and 
grass  into  heaps  at  particular  places  such  as  boundaries,  with 
the  idea  of  propitiating  some  guardian  spirit.  This  custom 
prevails  all  through  the  countries  southward  to  Nyassa. 

I  had  a  very  good  opportunity  afforded  me  of  observing  what 
takes  place  on  the  death  of  a  child.  One  morning,  near  my 
tent,  a  small  boy  died.  Throughout  the  day  the  father  and 
mother  kept  up  a  continuous  wail,  now  rising  into  howls,  anon 
into  screams.  Friends  and  passers-by  added  their  voices  to  the 
dirge  and  occasionally  broke  into  a  dance.  In  the  afternoon 
a  grave  was  dug  immediately  outside  the  door,  and  beneath 
the  eaves  of  the  hut.  When  this  was  ready,  the  dead  child 
was  brought  out  for  the  last  look.  Every  one  then  broke 
into  sobbing  howls,  as  the  father  suddenly  laid  hold  of  it 
with  convulsive  energy  and  laid  it  in  the  grave,  Avhile  the 
mother  threw  herself  on  the  ground  and  rolled  abovit  in  the 
ecstasy  of  her  grief.  The  father,  little  less  affected  and 
wailing  sadly,  was  suddenly  aroused  by  indignant  protests 
from  some  of  the  grey-beards.     He  had  laid  the  corpse  in  the 


Morality  versus  Clothes.  287 

wrong  position  !  The  father  declared  that  he  had  done  quite 
right,  and  a  lull  in  the  wailing  took  place  as  they  yelled  and 
screamed  at  each  other  excitedly  over  this  point  At  last 
the  father  was  shouted  down,  and  had  to  alter  the  position, 
whereupon  the  wails  and  howls  were  resumed.  The  point  of 
dispute  was  whether  the  face  of  the  child  should  be  towards 
the  house  or  away  from  it.  This  having  been  put  right,  a 
single  tree-leaf  was  placed  below  the  lower  ear,  and  another 
over  the  upper,  while  a  tuft  of  grass  was  placed  in  the  child's 
Jiand.  This  finished,  a  new  howl  was  raised,  which  rose  into 
a  storm  as  the  father  and  mother  pushed  the  soil  over  the 
little  naked  body  with  frantic  energy.  A  final  howl  being 
given  and  a  dance  performed,  the  party  adjourned  till  the 
moon  rose,  and  then  with  deep  libations  of  pombe  (native 
beer)  they  danced  and  threw  their  shoulders  (not  their  legs) 
about,  to  allay  the  grief  of  the  parents  and  soothe  the  spirit 
of  the  buried  child. 

The  first  person  who  dies  in  a  new  house  is  buried  inside 
it — the  second  outside. 

About  the  Wa-kavirondo  it  remains  but  to  be  said  that 
they  eloquently  illustrate  the  fact,  which  some  people  cannot 
understand,  that  morality  has  nothing  to  do  with  clothes. 
They  are  the  most  moral  of  all  the  tribes  of  this  region,  and 
they  are  simply  angels  of  purity  beside  the  decently 
dressed  Masai,  among  whom  vice  of  the  most  open  kind  is 
rampant. 

Food  at  Kwa-Sundu  was  surprisingly  cheap  and  apparently 
inexhaustible.  Four  men's  food  in  flour  was  got  for  one 
string  of  beads,  eight  men's  food  of  sweet  potatoes  for  the 
same,  a  sheep  for  fifteen  strings,  and  a  goat  for  twenty  strings. 
Such  were  some  of  the  prices  which  ruled.  Fish  also  from 
the  Js^zoia  was  added  to  our  fare,  so  that  we  were  in  a 
veritable  land  of  Goshen.  I  might  further  have  had 
hippopotamus  beef,  as  I  shot  several  in  the  Xzoia,  and  it 
was  a  sight  to  see  several  hundred  natives  quarrelling  over  the 
meat. 

"While  the  Lake  was  yet  unseen  I  could  not  enjoy  life 
contentedly.  I  therefore  only  stayed  two  days  at  Kwa- 
Sundu  before  I  started  with  fifty  men  to  complete  my  work, 
leaving  the  rest  behind  with  Makatubu.  The  country  that 
had  yet  to  be  traversed  was,  however,  the  dangerous  region 
— the  people  being  less  accustomed  to  traders.  Mansimba 
showed  his  appreciation  of  the  dangers  ahead,  by  hiding  away 
to  avoid  being  taken  with  us. 


288  Through  Masai  Land. 

We  crossed  the  Nzoia  by  a  ford  100  yards  broad,  where 
the  river  rushes  fiercely  over  a  rocky  bed  three  feet  deep. 
Striking  westward,  we  approached  near  a  village,  when  we 
were  suddenly  startled  by  the  war-cry.  My  guide  imme- 
diately jumped  on  to  an  ant-mound  and  I  followed  him. 
Our  appearance  allayed  the  alarm  in  our  immediate  neigh- 
bourhood— but  by  that  time  the  war-cry  had  been  taken 
up  by  labourers  in  the  field,  and  by  other  villages,  and 
we  could  hear  the  signals  spreading  further  and  further. 
The  whole  country  seemed  suddenly  to  have  given  birth  tq, 
multitudes  of  people,  some  hurrying  towards  the  villages, 
others  rushing  out  of  them  armed  for  war.  Hundreds  of  the 
natives  were  soon  gathered  round  us.  These  we  were  able 
at  once  to  reassure,  though,  for  several  hours  after,  we  met 
people  tearing  along  as  if  for  life  or  death  towards  the 
supposed  enemy.  From  what  I  saw,  I  could  understand  how 
the  traders  had  so  frequently  lost  men,  as  within  an  hour 
several  thousands  of  warriors  could  be  collected  from  this 
populous  region.  We  camped  that  night  at  a  small  village 
called  Mwofu,  and  found  our  way  forthwith  to  the 
hearts  of  the  people  by  setting  them  to  dance  for 
beads. 

The  whole  country  was  remarkable  for  its  poverty  in  trees, 
a  few  small  ones  alone  being  seen  in  the  villages,  where  they 
afford  refreshing  shade.  There  is  in  consequence  a  great 
dearth  of  wood,  and  it  had  to  be  bought  for  making  fires.  On 
this  side  of  the  Nzoia,  however,  the  Euphorbia  was  not 
uncommon.  We  passed  capital  grazing-ground  and  found 
cattle  numerous,  though  there  were  many  villages  that 
had  been  destroyed  by  the  people  of  Elgumi  to  the 
north. 

At  the  village  where  we  stopped  on  the  second  day,  we  got 
an  insight  into  the  temper  of  the  people.  The  Sultan  of  the 
place  had  presented  us  with  a  bullock,  and  I  had  given  him 
a  present  of  brass  wire  in  return.  We  took  care,  however, 
not  to  kill  the  animal.  In  the  morning  the  sons  of  the  chief 
demanded  another  present,  and  would  not  allow  us  to  take 
the  bullock  away.  I  immediately  demanded  the  wire,  and 
told  them  to  keep  their  present.  This  brought  the  old  chief 
out,  and  he  entreated  us  to  take  it.  Accordingly  we  pushed 
our  way  outside  the  village.  The  sons,  however,  were  not 
so  easily  appeased.  They  raised  a  disturbance,  and  attempted, 
in  the  most  excited  and  violent  manner,  to  take  forcible 
possession  of  the  bullock.     Other  young  men  began  to  gather 


A  TEOUBLESOME   PeESENT. 


289 


about,  and  all  looked  as  if  they  would  enjoy  a  fight.  I  saw 
it  was  necessary  to  be  finn  and  show  them  we  were  not  to  be 
easily  frightened.  At  last,  however,  as  I  was  getting  hustled 
nastUy,  my  bile  was  raised,  and  before  the  principal  young 
agitator  knew  what  he  was  about  I  had  dexterously  laid  him 
on  his  back.  It  was  a  sight  to  see  the  picture  of  demoniacal 
and  ungovernable  rage  which  he  presented  as  he  sprang  to 
his  feet.  He  poised  his  spear,  and  pranced  about  like  a 
madman,  trying  to  get  clear  of  his  father,  who  kept  in  front 
of  him,  and  prevented  him  from  launching  it  at  me.    The 


K.   KZOIA   KSAB   SEBEMBA,   WITH   SCHuui.   ut   iilfPUS. 

moment  was  very  critical.  All  my  men  held  their  guns 
ready.  Brahim  covered  the  young  warrior  with  my  Express 
rifle,  while  on  the  other  hand  hundreds  of  warriors  grasped 
their  spears  as  if  only  waiting  a  signal  to  precipitate  them- 
selves upon  our  small  party.  As  for  myself,  I  simply  folded 
my  arms  and  laughed  derisively,  a  piece  of  acting  I  have 
always  found  to  have  a  remarkable  eflfect  upon  the  natives, 
who  at  once  conclude  that  I  have  suiiematural  powers  of 
offence  and  defence.  The  old  man  succeeded  at  last  in 
carrying  oif  his  son,  very  much  to  my  relief — for  in  spite  of 

u 


290  Through  Masai  Land. 

my  heroic  attitude  I  was  anything  but  comfortable  inwardly, 
and  in  reality  I  had  made  a  very  narrow  escape.  We 
were  now  masters  of  the  field,  and  were  allowed  to  leave 
peaceably. 

The  extraordinary  density  of  the  population  was  to  us  a 
matter  of  great  wonder.  They  streamed  forth  in  thousands 
to  see  us,  amid  yells  and  shouts  of  the  most  deafening  cha- 
racter. At  first  we  were  inclined  to  lay  the  flattering  unction 
to  our  soul  that  this  was  an  ovation  specially  got  up  to  celc 
brate  the  successful  crowning  of  the  work  of  the  Expedition. 
But  when  they  began  to  be  insolent,  and  tried  to  block  our 
way,  the  crowds  did  not  seem  quite  so  pleasant.  I  began  to 
lose  my  ordinary  coolness  and  to  get  excited,  as  with  threaten- 
ing gestures  they  threw  themselves  in  our  path  and  tried  to 
stop  me  getting  forward.  I  vowed  that  I  would  march  on, 
whether  they  liked  it  or  not.  Keeping  down  alike  my  fears 
and  my  wrath,  therefore,  I  steadily  pushed  ahead,  leading  the 
way,  Avhile  Martin  brought  up  the  rear.  Two  men  of  a  neigh- 
bouring district  who  were  accompanying  me  for  protection, 
were  set  upon  by  some  fiercely  dressed  warriors.  Their  goods 
were  stolen,  and  they  would  infallibly  have  been  murdered,  had 
I  not  crushed  myself  into  the  heart  of  the  melee,  and  rescued  the 
poor  fellows.  At  last  we  got  past  the  worst,  and  we  could 
breathe  again. 

Shortly  after,  we  camped  at  a  village  named  Seremba.  I 
here  found  numerous  smelting  works,  the  ore  being  brought 
from  regular  mines,  in  a  range  of  hills  to  the  north.  They 
smelted  it  in  open  furnaces  of  charcoal,  heaped  up  against  a 
low  wall,  at  the  bottom  of  which  is  a  hole  and  drain  leading 
from  it  to  carry  off  the  slagg.  The  blast  is  kept  up  by  a 
double  bellows,  Avorked  Avith  astonishing  dexterity  by  a  man 
standing.  A  whole  day  is  employed  in  smelting  the  ore,  and 
a  mass  from  1 5  lbs.  to  20  lbs.  is  the  result.  The  moment  it 
is  thought  to  be  ready,  they  turn  out  the  hot  mass  and  as 
speedily  as  possible  cut  pieces  off  with  axes,  dealing  with  great 
rapidity  herculean  strokes.  The  iron  thus  produced  is  first 
class,  and  the  Wa-kavirondo,  especially  those  of  Samia,  are 
remarkably  clever  blacksmiths.  They  make  wire  in  imitation 
of  the  coast  senenge,  only  it  is  square  instead  of  round.  This 
takes  a  beautiful  silvery  polish,  and  is  worn  by  the  young 
swells  round  their  necks,  arms,  and  legs,  after  the  fashion  pre- 
valent among  the  Masai  women,  only  the  coil  is  not  continuous, 
but  jointed  on  ring  by  ring.  They  make  capital  spears,  hoes, 
&c.,  which  are  in  use   all  over  Kavirondo.     I  Avas  greatly 


Feesh  Difficulties. 


291 


interested  to  find  that  in  shaping  their  various  weapons,  imple- 
ments, &c.,  they  use  a  variety  of  hammers.  For  the  heaviest 
work  they  use  large  stones  ;  for  the  medium,  (such  as  hoes  in 
their  secondary  stages)  a  thick  arrow-shaped  piece  of  iron, 
striking  with  the  edge  of  the  head.  The  square  wire  is 
manipulated  by  being  struck  with  the  end  of  an  iron  cylinder. 
Next  day  we  were  not  allowed  to  go  on.  Difficulties  were 
raised.  \Vhy  was  I  tearing  along  in  this  manner  by  force,  with 
the  same  cry  of  "  Nyjinja,  Nyanja  "  (the  Lake)  1  What  were 
we  wanting  there  1     Probably  we  would  make  uchawi  (black 


VICTOBIA  VYkyZS.  tViOH.  KASSALA. 


meilicine),  and  stop  the  Lake  ! — whatever  that  might  mean. 
We  must  be  quarantined,  and  submit  to  a  period  of  "  observa- 
tion," to  see  what  sort  of  symptoms  were  likely  to  develop 
themselves.  All  this  was  horribly  annoying,  and  I  was  afraid 
we  should  still  be  turned  back  at  the  very  last  moment.  To 
let  off  my  impatience  I  went  to  the  Nzoia  close  at  hand,  and 
shot  three  hippos,  which  had  the  eflfect  of  putting  the  natives 
in  good  humour,  and  helped  to  smooth  our  way.  I  here 
photographed  the  river  with  a  school  of  hippos  in  one  of  its 
bends. 

u  2 


292  Through  Masai  Land. 

Next  day,  finding  that  we  Avere  in  the  good  graces  of  most 
of  the  people  (weliad  set  them  a-dancing  on  the  previous  day), 
and  that  it  was  only  the  chief  and  his  satellites  who  opposed 
our  going  forward,  in  the  hope  of  screwing  more  presents  out 
of  us,  I  resolved  to  proceed  in  spite  of  him.  On  getting 
ready  for  the  road  I  found  the  gate  taken  possession  of  by  a 
band  of  armed  men,  and  no  time  had  to  be  lost.  Selecting  a 
party,  we  made  a  sudden  dash  among  the  obstructors  and 
hustled  them  away,  while  a  second  lot  came  behind  us,  tore 
the  gate  to  pieces,  and  threw  them  into  the  fosse.  They  then 
kept  the  opening  clear  while  we  tried  to  get  everything  away. 
This  was  not  quite  so  easy.  Several  men  seized  hold  of  loads, 
and  clung  to  them  with  tooth  and  nail,  and  required  some 
fearful  tussling  before  they  were  dislodged.  A  few  blows 
with  sticks  Avere  given  treacherously,  but  fortunately  the 
resistance  did  not  go  any  further.  We  at  last  proved  to  be 
the  victors,  and  marched  off  triumphantly. 

Half  an  hour  sufficed  to  bring  us  to  the  top  of  a  low  range 
of  hills,  and  there  lay  the  end  of  our  pilgrimage — a  glisten- 
ing bay  of  the  great  Lake  surrounded  by  low  shores  and 
shut  in  to  the  south  by  several  islands,  the  whole  softly 
veiled  and  rendered  weirdly  indistinct  by  a  dense  haze. 
The  view,  with  arid-looking  euphorbia-clad  slopes  shading 
gently  down  to  the  muddy  beach,  could  not  be  called  pic- 
turesque, though  it  was  certainly  pleasing.  This  scene  was 
in  striking  contrast  to  all  the  views  of  African  lakes  it  had 
yet  been  my  privilege  to  see.  In  all  previous  cases  I  had 
looked  down  from  heights  of  not  less  than  7000  feet  into 
yawning  abysses  some  thoiisands  of  feet  below ;  but  here  I 
stood  0}i  an  insignificant  hill  and  saw  it  gradually  subsiding 
to  the  level  of  the  great  sheet  of  water. 

We  had  no  patience,  however,  to  stand  and  take  in  all 
the  details  of  the  scene,  we  were  too  eager  to  be  on  the 
actual  shores.  An  hour's  feverish  tramp,  almost  breaking 
into  a  run,  served  to  bring  us  to  the  edge  of  Lake  Victoria 
Nyanza,  and  soon  we  were  joyously  drinking  deep  draughts 
of  its  waters,  while  the  men  ran  in  knee-deep,  firing  their 
guns  and  splasliing  about  like  madmen,  apparently  more 
delighted  at  the  sight  of  the  Lake  than  I  was — though 
doubtless  tlie  adago  held  good  here,  as  in  so  many  cases,  that 
still  waters  run  deep. 

When  my  escort  had  thus  effervesced  to  some  extent  they 
gathered  round,  and  the  good  fellows,  knowing  that  my 
dearest  wish  had  been  attained,  shook  hands  with  me  with 


Nyanza  !  293 

sucli  genuine  heartiness  and  good-will  tliat  they  brought 
tears  to  my  eyes.  Having  recovered  tone,  I — as  it  behoved 
me  to  do — made  a  speech  to  them  on  the  heroic  lines  more 
commonly  heard  at  a  City  banquet  or  ^Mutual  Admiration 
Society  than  in  Central  Africa.  This  duty  j^erformed,  we 
proceeded  to  the  village  of  the  second  chief  of  Samia — in 
which  district  of  Kavirondo  we  now  were — and  there  we 
camped. 

Next  day  I  rested  from  my  labours  with  the  delicious 
consciousness  that  a  great  feat  had  been  accomplished  and 
that  I  had  home  as  the  new  beacon-star  ahead  to  direct  my 
wandering  footsteps.  Next  day,  finding  ourselves  among  a 
very  pleasant  people,  we  laid  aside  our  natural  reserve,  and, 
pocketing  our  high  dignity,  we  set  all  the  young  people  of 
the  village  to  trip  it.  In  the  cool  of  the  evening  Martin  and 
I  illustrated  the  "  poetry  of  motion  "  as  practised  in  Malta 
and  Scotland ;  that  is  to  say,  Martin  tried  to  initiate  the 
damsels  into  the  mysterious  charm  of  the  waltz,  while  I 
showed  them  how  to  do  the  "  fantastic "  in  the  spirited 
movements  of  a  Scotch  dance.  Need  I  say  that  Martin  was 
simply  nowhere,  while  they  became  enthusiastic  over  my 
l^erformance.  That  night,  as  I  sat  musing  and  star-gazing, 
I  concluded  that  the  Wa-kavirondo  were  decidedly  sus- 
ceptible of  civilizing  influences ! 

My  agreeable  conclusions — derived  from  their  appreciation 
of  my  dancing — received  rather  a  shock  during  the  night. 
I  was  outside  my  tent  with  Martin  about  midnight,  taking 
some  Ulnars  to  determine  my  longitude,  when  I  observed  a 
man  running  rapidly  past,  and,  jumping  up,  I  saw  some 
other  men  joining  him.  Thinking  some  small  article  of  a 
porter's  had  been  stolen,  I  went  to  their  quarters  to  inquire. 
I  soon  made  a  sadder  discovery  than  I  had  anticipated. 
The  cook's  hut  had  been  broken  into  with  consummate 
courage,  and  the  entire  contents  of  my  canteen  carried  off. 
Not  even  a  knife  and  fork  was  left  to  console  me,  and  I  had 
the  agreeable  picture  before  me  of  eating  from  wooden 
platters  and  using  chojisticks  or  my  fingers.  If  I  was  to 
avoid  this  undesirable  ix)ssibility,  prompt  action  was  required. 
I  therefore  shouted  out  our  war-cry,  "  Bunduki !  bimduki !  " 
(Guns  !  guns  !)  In  a  twinkling  every  man  was  on  his  feet, 
his  sleeping-mat  rolled  up  and  conveyed  to  my  tent.  Leav- 
ing a  guard  there,  I  took  aU  the  rest  and  made  for  the  gates, 
which  I  secured  by  placing  a  guard  at  each  one.  "With  the 
remainder  bearing  lighted  brands  I  proceeded  to  the  house 


294 


Through  Masai  Land. 


of  the  chief.  The  scene  that  now  took  place  was  inde- 
scribable, as  the  entire  population  rushed  from  their  huts 
with  the  idea  that  the  town  was  captured  and  that  they 
would  all  be  killed.  The  men  shouted  and  the  women 
screamed  and  yelled.  They  were  utterly  out  of  their  senses, 
and  rushed  about  like  madmen  from  gate  to  gate,  only  to 


DAUGHXEES  OF  THE  CHIBP  OP  MASSAIA. 

find  on  their  approach  stern-visaged  men  with  guns  levelled 
at  them.  There  were  at  that  moment  from  three  to  four 
hundred  men  in  the  village,  but  so  utterly  were  they  para- 
lyzed by  our  prompt  and  audacious  action  that  they  knew 
not  what  to  do.  I  found  myself  in  the  midst  of  a  large 
crowd,  and  /  knew  what  to  do.     Pointing  to  my  men  carry- 


"All's  Well  that  ends  Well."      295 

ing  brands,  I  announced  my  ultimatum:  "Restore  my 
stolen  property,  or  I  burn  down  the  town  ! "  I  was  the 
more  remorseless  in  my  demand  as  I  had  every  reason  to 
believe  that  almost  the  whole  town  was  implicated  in  the 
affair  ;  indeed  on  the  previous  day  the  chief,  Massala  himself, 
had  been  specially  anxious  to  have  some  of  the  very  articles 
now  stolen.  "We  obviously  had  them  completely  at  our 
mercy,  and  they  implored  me  not  to  proceed  to  extremities, 
promising  that  all  would  be  returned.  At  this  moment  one 
man  was  captured  with  some  plates,  smd  to  show  we  were 
not  afraid  of  them  we  at  once  administered  a  substantial 
drubbing,  and  threatened  to  shoot  him  on  the  morrow  when 
we  had  time.  Seeing  we  meant  business,  and  that  a 
minute's  delay  might  issue  in  the  place  being  set  on  fire, 
they  gathered  almost  everything  up  and  brought  them  to  us 
just  as  the  sun  appeared  in  the  horizon.  Then  the  guards 
were  withdrawn,  and  we  could  retire  to  chuckle  over  our 
triumph,  though  the  incident  had  been  a  most  perilous  one. 

This  adventure  curiously  enough  seemed  distinctly  to  raise 
us  in  the  good-will  of  the  people,  and  in  the  afternoon  we 
were  such  excellent  friends  that  they  stood  without  fear  to 
be  photographed — Xjemps  being  the  only  other  place  where 
this  took  place.  The  young  women  here  were  very  well 
shaped,  meriting  as  regards  the  figure  the  distinction  of  being 
called  tall  and  handsome,  though  they  are  unusxially  narrow 
proportionately  across  the  loins. 

At  this  place  I  was  only  forty-five  miles  from  the  Nile,  and  I 
would  gladly  have  proceeded  thither.  But  there  were  several 
considerations  which  deterred  me.  First,  an  attack  fever 
had  resulted  from  my  night  adventure ;  secondly,  my  stock  of 
goods  was  getting  inconveniently  low;  and,  thirdly,  I  had 
reached  the  western  boundaries  of  Kavirondo,  and  the  people 
beyond  were  at  war  with  the  natives  of  the  latter.  As  I  had 
thus  considerable  uncertainty  in  front  of  me,  I  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  in  this  case  discretion  was  the  better  part  of  valour. 
To  gain  a  little  by  going  further  I  might  run  an  imminent  risk 
of  losing  all.'     Here,  then,  I  resolved  to  make  my  turning 

1  In  the  light  of  a  snhsequent  tragic  event  these  words,  written  in  1884, 
appear  almost  prophetic.  On  the  23rd  of  July,  1885,  Bishop  Hanningtoa 
left  Mombasa  with  the  object  of  testing  the' practicability  of  the  route 
through  the  Masai  country  to  Uganda,  which  I  had  just  explored.  In 
the  middle  of  October  he  had  reached  my  furthest  point,  accompanied 
by  fifty  men.  Then,  heedless  of  the  warning  contained  in  the  above  lines, 
he  appears  to  have  rashly  marched  on  without  halting  to  feel  his  way, 
and  ascertain  the  condition  of  afikirs  ahead.     The  result  was,  as  I  had 


296  Through  Masai  Land. 

point.     My  hopes  and    my  footsteps  henceforth    must  be 
homeward. 


CHAPTEK  XII. 

BACK   TO  BARING  O   vid   ELGON. 

As  there  was  Httle  of  special  interest  in  the  low  shores  and 
sedge-lined  waters  of  the  Lake,  and  few  specimens  of  zoo- 
logical interest  to  be  picked  up,  I  resolved  at  once  to  return  to 
KAva-Sundu.  After  the  reception  we  had  experienced  on  our 
way  to  Nyanza,  we  dared  not  retrace  our  steps  by  Sereniba. 
We  determined,  therefore,  to  cut  across  the  neighbouring  line 
of  hills.  About  Massala  we  observed  numerous  deserted 
villages,  and  on  inquiry  we  learned  that  they  were  the  result 
of  raids  of  Mtese's  warriors,  who  were  in  the  habit  of  making 
descents  on  the  Samia  coast.  The  neighbouring  state  of  Akola 
to  the  west  had  lately  fallen  a  victim  to  that  potentate's  im- 
perial policy,  and  his  name  was  held  in  great  terror.  We 
ourselves  on  more  than  one  occasion  were  mistaken  for  Wa- 
ganda,  and  the  alarm  and  war-cry  spread  accordingly. 

On  the  13th  of  December  we  bundled  together  our  traps, 
and  moved  a  short  distance  north  to  [Mzemba,  the  town  of 

feared  for  myself,  the  utter  loss  of  all ;  for  he  marched  into  a  trap,  and 
only  some  one  or  two  men  escaped  to  tell  the  tale  of  the  Bishop's  rash- 
ness and  his  heroic  death, 

I  consider  it  due  to  myself  to  mention  a  fact  not  stated  in  Dawson's 
"  Life  of  Bishop  Haniiington,"  viz.  that  it  was  against  my  advice  that 
his  Expedition  was  undertaken.  Before  the  Bishop  left  England,  I  was 
asked  to  attend  a  meeting  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  at  which 
the  advisability  of  utilizing  the  Masai  route  was  discussed.  I  spoke  in 
such  emphatic  terms  against  the  proposal  that  the  meeting  unanimously 
concluded  that  the  time  had  not  yet  come  to  adopt  the  Masai  route  for 
communicating  with  Uganda. 

However,  Bishop  Hannington  began  to  think  differently  when  he 
found  himself  again  in  East  Africa,  and  he  then  made  up  his  mind  to 
accept  the  advice  of  my  caravan  assistant,  James  Martin,  in  preference  to 
mine. 

In  a  letter  sent  home  to  the  Society  announcing  this  fact,  he  begged 
the  Secretary  not  to  refer  the  question  to  me  again,  knowing  that  I  would 
be  opposed  to  the  project.  Curiously  enough  this  paragraph  is  omitted 
from  the  published  letter. 

The  result  of  his  running  counter  to  my  advice  has  been  the  adding 
of  another  martyr  to  the  missionary  roll,  the  death  of  fifty  porters, 
the  hastened  massacre  of  nearly  all  the  Uganda  converts,  and  the 
practical  closing  of  the  Masai  route  for  some  time  to  come. 


Walking  off  a  Fever.  297 

Uchen,  the  principal  chief  of  Samia.  We  were  very  greatly 
interested  to  find  that  Uchen  was  the  brother  of  one  of  my 
men  named  Mabruki  This  man  had  been  captured  when  a 
boy,  and  sold  as  a  slave  to  the  traders,  and  now  he  had  re- 
turned to  be  recognized  and  welcomed  as  one  who  had  been 
lost  and  found.  Before  he  was  aUowed  to  enter  the  walls  of 
the  village,  a  goat  had  to  be  killed  and  the  blood  sprinkled  on 
the  door  and  posts. 

The  day  after  my  arrival  I  was  thoroughly  prostrated  by  the 
fever,  and  I  approached  unpleasantly'  close  to  the  stage  of  de- 
lirium. ^Notwithstanding  that,  and  remembering  the  efficacy 
of  exertion  in  such  cases,  I  set  off  on  the  second  day,  and 
braced  myself  up  by  a  six  hours'  march.  Our  progress  was 
made  exceedingly  uncomfortable  by  the  clouds  of  ashes  raised 
by  the  wind  from  recently  burnt  jungle,  making  us  as  black 
as  sweeps.  Shortly  after  noon  we  reached  a  stream  with  dense 
forest.  In  seeking  out  for  a  suitable  spot  to  camp  I  nearly 
stumbled  over  a  python,  which,  on  being  killed,  proved  to  be 
twelve  feet  long,  and  fifteen  inches  in  girth.  This  reptile  is 
known  to  the  Wa-swahili  as  chato.  After  the  day's  march  I 
collapsed  like  a  machine  wound  up  to  do  a  certain  work  and 
no  more. 

Tlie  next  march  was  very  trying,  from  the  number  of 
marshy  streams  which  had  to  be  crossed,  all  flowing  to  the  Sio, 
At  two  places  we  were  taken  for  war-raiders,  and  had  oppor- 
tunities of  seeing  the  natives  turning  out  rigged  up  for  battle. 

The  village  at  which  we  rested  was  distinguished  by  two 
features— its  excessive  neatness  and  cleanliness,  and  its  pos- 
session of  an  undraped  young  lady,  certainly  not  less  tlian 
seven  feet  in  height.  One  of  my  men  who  stands  six  feet 
three  was  quite  dwarfed  by  comparison  with  her.  She  was 
unmarried,  which  would  seem  to  indicate  that  even  in  Kavi- 
rondo  they  can  have  too  much  of  a  good  thing. 

On  the  third  march  we  recrossed  the  Nzoia,  and  reached 
Kwa-Simdu  early  in  the  morning,  to  find  Makatubu  and  the 
men  all  well  and  a  large  quantity  of  footl  collected  for  our 
return  through  the  wilderness. 

Though  still  suffering  from  fever,  I  had  now  to  set  myself 
to  the  task  of  taking  a  series  of  astronomical  observations,  to 
determine  my  position.  This  required  me  to  be  up  at  all 
hours  of  the  night,  and  of  course  clid  not  improve  my  health. 

While  this  was  going  on  the  chief  was  continually  bothering 
me  to  bring  rain,  wliich  they  were  sadly  in  want  of.  As  this 
was  a  trick  which  my  conscience  would  not  allow  me  to  play, 


298  Through  Masai  Land. 

except  in  cases  of  absolute  necessity,  I  put  him  off  as  long  as 
possible.  On  his  becoming  importunate,  I  told  him  to  be 
quiet.  Did  he  not  see  that  every  night  I  was  inquiring  with 
my  instruments  into  the  secrets  of  the  sky  1  Let  him  just 
wait  and  he  would  see  the  result !  Curiously  enough,  in  the 
evening  after  my  oracular  announcement  there  was  a  sharp 
thunderstorm  and  a  heavy  rainfall,  which  hardly  required  any 
self-satisfied  comments  on  my  part  to  secure  for  me  immense 
prestige  and  applause. 

On  the  24th  of  December,  having  somewhat  recovered 
from  the  fever,  completed  my  observations,  and  collected  the 
necessary  supplies,  I  made  what  may  be  called  the  first 
retiring  march.  Each  man  carried  twelve  days'  food  in 
addition  to  his  load,  which  was  chiefly  grain.  Indeed  we 
had  very  little  short  of  a  month's  provision. 

Not  to  go  back  on  our  footsteps,  and  being  very  desirous 
of  visiting  the  reported  caves  and  cave-dwellers  of  Elgon,  I 
adopted  a  more  northerly  route.  For  this  purpose  we  had 
to  cross  to  the  north  bank  of  the  Nzoia.  The  passage  cost 
us  two  hours,  but  was  performed  without  damage. 

Our  route  for  the  next  two  hours  lay  north  and  then  west, 
through  an  uninhabited  JSTo-man's-land.  On  entering  the 
cultivated  parts  I  was  greatly  puzzled  to  account  for  the 
evident  terror  of  the  inhabitants  on  sighting  us,  and  the 
manner  in  which  they  fled  into  their  villages  and  barricaded 
the  doors,  hiding  themselves  in  the  huts,  or  behind  the 
walls.  This  was  in  striking  contrast  to  our  reception  every- 
where else  in  the  country.  Usually  the  Avhole  populace 
turned  out  with  shouts  and  laughter,  and  were  only  too 
anxious  to  inveigle  us  into  their  towns,  in  order  to  have  the 
exclusive  privilege  of  levying  black-mail.  Here,  on  the 
other  hand,  the  inhabitants  absolutely  refused  to  open  their 
doors,  and  at  last  we  had  to  camp  in  a  half-buUt  village. 
But  truly  our  reception  was  not  to  be  wondered  at,  when  we 
learned  the  reason  of  it.  The  wonder  Avas,  rather,  that  they 
did  not  raise  their  war-cry,  gather  together  in  overwhelming 
force,  and  annihilate  us. 

The  district  was  Masawa  (Ketosh  of  the  Masai),  and  in  it 
the  traders  had  lost  a  few  men  through  murder  or  otherwise. 
In  revenge  for  this  the  traders,  five  years  previous  to  our 
arrival,  had  resolved  to  tengene.ze  (put  to  rights)  the  natives. 
For  this  purpose  a  combined  caravan  of  some  1500  men 
stationed  at  Kwa-Sundu  was  marched  upon  them.  Dividing 
into  sections,  they  entered  the  district  at  different  points, 


Feaeful  Pacification.  299 

and  crossed  it,  devastating  eyery  village  on  the  way,  killing 
thousands  of  the  men  and  women,  committing  the  most 
horrible  atrocities,  such  as  ripping  up  women  with  child, 
making  great  bonfires  and  throwing  children  into  them, 
while  the  small  boys  and  girls  were  captured  as  slaves.  I 
have  spoken  with  considerable  numbers  of  the  men  who 
took  part  in  this  battue,  and  it  was  suificient  to  sicken  any 
one  to  hear  the  delight  with  which  they  described  all  those 
horrors,  apparently  quite  unconscious  they  had  been  doing 
anything  wrong.  Indeed  there  is  no  monster  more  savage 
and  cruel  than  the  Swahili  trader,  when  the  demon  nature 
within  him  is  let  loose. 

As  we  were  the  first  who  liad  ventured  into  this  pai-t  after 
it  was  "  amani  "  (at  peace),  and  *'  put  to  rights,"  we  had 
every  reason  to  fear  reprisals.  This  indeed  would  have  been 
"  intelligent  destruction."  But  the  work  of  the  traders  had 
been  done  too  thoroughly,  and  as  the  population  was  more 
than  decimated  they  fled  in  terror  from  before  us.  At 
furthest  they  would  only  timidly  peep  forth  from  their 
villages,  like  rabbits  from  their  holes,  who  knew  only  too 
well  the  death-knell  of  the  gun.  As  a  natural  result  no  food 
was  to  be  bought. 

Christmas  Day  was  not  marked  by  any  feast  or  revelling 
among  good  things.  And  yet  I  was  supremely  happy,  for  I 
was  brimful  of  the  thought  that  an  arduous  piece  of  work 
was  completed,  and  that  I  was  homeward-bound. 

On  the  26th  we  arrived  at  the  confines  of  Masawa,  and  as 
they  were  at  war  with  their  neighbours  of  Elgon,  we  could 
get  no  guide  to  convey  us  thither.  I  may  here  incidentally 
remark  that  the  week  after  we  left  this  populous  part,  the 
Masai  made  a  descent,  and  successfully  carried  off  all  the 
cattle. 

Xext  day  we  had  to  trust  in  our  good  luck,  and  make  a 
way  for  ourselves  through  the  pathless  forest  which  sur- 
rounds Elgon.  On  the  way  I  shot  an  old  buffalo  cow, 
though  I  was  still  so  weak  from  fever  that  it  was  with  the 
utmost  difliculty  I  held  up  my  rifle.  If  after  the  first 
bullet  she  had  charged  me,  she  would  have  had  me  at  her 
mercy,  as,  in  my  hurry  to  ram  a  second  cartridge  home,  it 
stuck  halfway,  and  nearly  made  me  frantic  before  I  put 
matters  right. 

After  noon  we  reached  the  base  of  the  mountain,  and 
camped  ou  a  tributary  of  the  Guaso  Lodo.  We  here  saw  no 
signs  of  inhabitants,  and  we  were  at  a  loss  what  to  do. 


300  Through  Masai  Land. 

After  firing  off  three  guns — the  customary  signal  of  a  cara- 
van— and  getting  no  response,  I  sent  off  INIakatubu  and 
some  men  to  reconnoitre.  They  returned  Avitli  the  news 
that  round  a  shoulder  of  the  mountain,  and  on  the  opposite 
side  of  a  small  valley,  they  saw  smoke  apparently  issuing 
from  a  black  hole  in  the  face  of  the  declivity,  and  that 
several  such  holes  were  to  be  seen  all  along  a  line  of 
precipice. 

Next  morning,  taking  Sadi  and  a  select  party,  I  set  off  to 
explore  for  myself,  with  the  double  purpose  of  examining 
the  caves  and  of  seeking  a  guide.  Keeping  along  the  face 
of  the  mountain,  I  observed  that  it  was  comiDosed  of  enor- 
mous beds  of  agglomerate,  alternating  with  sheets  of  lava, 
clearly  demonstrating  its  volcanic  origin. 

Curiously  enough,  this  enormous  mountain  mass,  which, 
as  I  have  said,  is  quite  comparable  to  Mount  Kenia  minus 
the  upper  peak,  forms,  like  Kenia  and  Kilimanjaro,  what  we 
may  call  an  outpost  of '  the  great  central  lava-tield  of  the 
Masai  country,  as  it  rises  from  metamorphic  rocks,  which 
are  to  be  seen  cropping  out  almost  up  to  the  very  base.  My 
examination  would  lead  me  to  infer  that  it  has  originated  in 
the  later  epoch  of  volcanic  activity,  and  that  it  has  no 
connection  with  the  great  lava  sheet  of  Guas*  JS^gishu,  which 
thickens  eastward,  whilst  if  it  had  flowed  from  Elgon,  the 
contrary  would  have  been  the  case.  Another  feature  is 
noticeable  in  that  it  rises  on  a  line  of  fault  running  north 
and  south,  which  has  formed  the  boundary  between  Guas' 
Ngishu  and  Kavirondo. 

Noting  these  facts  in  passing,  we  soon  rounded  a  flanking 
shoulder  of  the  mountain,  and  piishing  forward,  we  became 
aware  of  some  natives  perched  on  the  top  of  an  apparently 
inaccessible  precipice.  Hitting  upon  a  footpath  Avhich 
seemed  to  lead  in  the  right  direction,  we  followed  it,  and 
sure  enough  it  led  us  by  a  steep  ascent  up  the  mountain. 
Half-way  we  met  some  elders.  Sadi  tackled  them,  and  by 
judicious  presents  we  were  soon  on  good  terms. 

Afterwards,  though  much  against  their  will,  I  ascended 
the  remaining  part  of  the  rocky  declivity.  Gaining  a  ledge, 
I  found  a  great  yawning  hole  staring  rae  in  the  face. 
Clambering  over  some  rocks,  I  reached  the  mouth,  which 
was  strongly  protected  by  a  palisade  of  tree-trunks.  Look- 
ing over  this  barrier,  I  witnessed  an  unexpected  and  very 
remarkable  sight.  There  lay  before  me  a  huge  pit,  thirty 
feet  deep,  one  hundred  feet  long,  and  about  twenty  broad, 


A  Mtsteey.  301 

cut  perpendicularly  out  of  a  volcanic  agglomerate  of  great 
compactness.  In  the  centre  of  this  pit,  or  (as  it  may  have 
been)  mouth  of  a  cave,  stood  several  cows,  and  a  number  of 
the  usual  bee-hive  arrangements  for  storing  grain.  On  the 
side  opposite  to  me  were  the  openings  of  several  huts,  which 
Avere  built  in  chambers  out  of  sight,  and  which  only  showed 
the  door^vays,  like  the  entrances  to  a  dovecot.  In  and  out 
of  these  were  chiklren  running,  in  a  fashion  thoroughly  sug- 
gestive of  the  lower  animals,  especially  as  seen  in  the  midst 
of  their  strange  surroimdings.  The  inhabitants  had  all  the 
appearance  of  the  natives  of  Kamasia  and  Elgeyo,  and  I 
believe  their  language  to  be  very  similar,  probably  a  dialect 
slightly  removed. 

On  inquiry  as  to  who  made  this  carious  excavation,  I  was 
told  that  it  was  God's  work.  "  How,"  said  they,  "  could 
we  with  our  puny  implements "  (exhibiting  a  toy-like  axe, 
their  only  non-warlike  instrument)  "  cut  a  hole  like  this  1 
And  this  is  nothing  in  comparison  with  others  which  you 
may  sec  all  round  the  mountain.  See  there,  and  there,  and 
there  !  These  are  of  such  great  size  that  they  penetrate  far 
into  utter  darkness,  and  even  we  have  not  seen  the  end  of 
them.  In  some  there  are  large  villages  with  entire  herds  of 
cattle.  And  yet  you  ask  who  made  them  !  They  are  truly 
God's  work ! "  Such  was  the  substance  of  the  people's 
remarks,  and  doubtless  they  in  their  limited  knowledge 
spoke  very  wisely.  I  could  not,  however,  accept  their 
theory. 

There  was  absolutely  no  ircuUtion  regarding  these  caves 
among  the  people.  '*  Our  fathers  lived  here,  and  their 
fathers  did  the  same,"  was  the  invariable  reply  to  all  my 
questions.  Clearly  there  was  no  clue  in  that  direction. 
xVnd  yet  the  caves  bore  incontestible  evidence  on  the  face  of 
them  that  they  had  neither  a  natural  nor  supernatural  origin. 
They  must  have  been  excavated  by  the  hand  of  man.  That 
was  a  fact  about  which  there  could  absolutely  be  no  two 
opinions.  My  readers  will  naturally  ask  "  Wliat,  then,  Avere 
they  made  for  ?  "  And  here  I  have  to  confess  myself  non- 
plused. That  such  prodigious  excavations  in  extremely 
solid  rock,  extending  away  into  complete  darkness,  branching 
out  in  various  directions,  and  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet 
from  floor  to  ceiling,  were  formed  as  dwelling-places  or  even 
as  strongholds,  is  simply  absurd,  for  natives  sxich  as  those 
of  the  present  day  (supposing  such  had  always  been  there) 
to  have  cut  out   even  one   cave  would    have  been  a  sheer 


302  Theough  Masai  Land. 

impossibility  with  the  tools  they  possess.  But  there  are 
not  merely  one  or  two  excavations.  There  are  surpris- 
ing numbers  of  them — sufficient,  indeed,  to  house  a  whole 
tribe,  as  I  am  informed  that  they  extend  all  round  the 
mountain. 

There  is  one  point  of  great  interest  as  tending  to  throw 
some  light  on  the  subject.  The  caves  all  occupy  a  certain 
horizon  or  level  of  the  mountain,  and  all  occur  in  the  compact 
agglomerate,  none  in  the  lava  beds  immediately  overhead. 

Looking  at  everything,  I  can  come  to  but  one  conclusion, 
and  that  is,  that  in  a  very  remote  era  some  very  powerful 
race,  considerably  advanced  in  arts  and  civilization,  excavated 
these  great  caves  in  their  search  for  precious  stones  or 
possibly  some  precious  metal.  However  improbable  this 
theory  may  seem,  it  is  the  only  one  which  suggests  itself  to 
me  after  months  of  cogitation.  Unfortunately,  though  I 
was  from  the  first  without  a  doubt  about  their  being  of 
artificial  origin,  this  idea  never  crossed  my  brain  while  I  was 
at  Elgon,  and  I  consequently  made  no  special  examination 
for  evidence  of  precious  stones  or  metals.  Are  we  to  suppose 
that  the  Egyptians  really  got  so  far  south  1  If  not,  what 
other  race  could  have  cut  these  extraordinary  recesses  1 

Getting  no  satisfaction  from  the  Wa-elgon,  and  unable  to 
persuade  them  to  give  me  a  guide  to  Elgeyo,  I  had  reluc- 
tantly to  return.  Keeping  along  the  agglomerate  level,  we 
passed  numerous  entrances  to  excavations,  evidently  unoccu- 
pied. At  last  we  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  one  which  was 
very  strongly  fortified  with  trees,  though  also  deserted. 
Under  the  circumstances  we  made  no  scruple  of  breaking 
our  way  inside,  and  then  we  found  a  most  capacious  chamber 
over  twelve  feet  high,  though  evidently  there  were  several 
feet  of  dry  dung.  Occupying  the  nearer  part  of  the  chamber 
was  a  perfect  representation  of  a  Masai  kraal — the  basket- 
like huts  surrounding  a  circular  central  space  ;  only  owing 
to  the  peculiar  conditions,  the  huts  had  no  roofs — the 
cave  being  perfectly  dry.  The  excavation  was  of  the 
most  irregular  character,  and  rough  blocks  were  left  stand- 
ing like  pillars,  apparently  more  from  accident  than  design. 
When  I  had  sufficiently  examined  this  unique  sight  I  pushed 
further  in.  At  last,  after  I  had  ventured  little  short  of  one 
hundred  yards  without  reaching  an  end,  I  was  fain  to  stop, 
as  I  was  now  in  utter  darkness,  and  did  not  know  what  I 
might  fall  into.  Close  to  the  mouth  of  this  cave  was  a 
picturesque    cascade,  and    the  approach    to    it    was    most 


A  SAFE  Steonghold.  303 

difficult.  Indeed,  in  native  warfare,  unless  this  stronghold 
could  be  taken  by  surprise,  it  could  not  be  captured  at  all. 
Thoroughly  puzzled  with  this  astounding  discovery,  but  too 
ill  to  continue  my  researches  further,  I  had  to  return  to 
camp, 

l^ext  day  I  should  have  liked  greatly  to  resume  my  exa- 
mination of  the  caves  ;  but,  alas !  the  explorer  is  a  slave  to  the 
exigencies  of  his  situation.  Often,  when  on  the  very  thres- 
hold of  some  stirring  discovery,  he  is  baffled  by  cruel  fate. 
Thus  was  it  now  with  me.  "We  had  a  pathless  wilderness  to 
traverse  with  no  better  guide  than  mere  vague  notions 
assisted  by  a  compass.  Moreover,  I  felt  that  in  order  to  get 
any  proper  clue  to  the  history  of  the  caves  I  should  require 
a  prolonged  and  careful  examination,  with  excavations  in  the 
cave  debris.  In  the  circumstances  I  concluded  that  my  most 
prudent  course  was  to  march,  and  hope  for  a  more  favourable 
opportunity  of  solving  the  mystery. 

The  only  inhabited  part  of  the  mighty  Elgon  is  the  south 
side,  and  here  there  is  a  very  small  and  miserable  remnant 
of  a  tribe,  probably  once  more  powerful.  They  are  con- 
tinually at  war  with  the  Wa-kavirondo,  and  are  not  unlikely 
to  disappear  altogether  from  the  face  of  the  earth. 

Our  &st  march  took  us  along  the  base  of  the  mountain, 
and  we  had  frequent  occasion  to  note  the  occurrence  of  the 
mouths  of  excavations.  Wc  crossed  four  streams  from  the 
heights,  which,  owing  to  the  depth  of  the  channels  and  the 
rankness  of  the  vegetation  that  lined  their  banks,  made  our 
progress  slow  and  tedious. 

On  camping  we  were  placed  in  a  somewhat  unpleasant 
position  by  the  reckless  firing  of  the  grass  to  leewaid.  For 
a  time  all  went  right,  but  presently  the  wind  veered  round, 
and  the  flames  came  down  on  our  rear  with  a  tremendous 
roar.  For  the  moment  touts  and  goods  were  in  considerable 
jeopardy,  as  the  grass  was  tall  and  dry,  and  the  wind  strong. 
The  men,  however,  having  rushed  with  their  own  belongings, 
to  a  place  of  safety,  attacked  the  fire  manfully  with  branches, 
and  fortunately  they  succeeded  in  putting  it  out  before  it 
reached  the  tonts. 

l^ext  morning  I  killed  two  buffaloes,  which  came  in  handy 
as  "  kitchen  "  to  the  unpalatable  grain-food  of  the  men.  As 
I  myself  acted  in  the  capacity  of  guide,  I  had  a  weary  busi 
ness  of  it,  tramping  on  ahead  through  extremely  tall  and 
dense  grass. 

The  last  day  of  the  year,  which  had  so  far  worn  a  smiling 


304  Through  Masai  Land. 

and  encouraging  face,  was  fated  to  be  a  remarkable  one. 
For  a  time  it  seemed  as  if  I  had  reached  the  limits  of  my 
earthly  existence  as  well  as  that  of  the  year.  The  agreeable 
and  piquant  situation  happened  in  this  wise.  I  had  resolved 
to  shoot  something,  however  tough,  to  replenish  our  larder 
for  the  due  celebration  of  the  day.  With  this  object  in 
view  I  had  kept  ahead  of  the  caravan,  accompanied  by 
Brahim.  We  struggled  for  some  three  hours  through  long, 
unburnt  grass,  and  open,  scraggy  forest,  Avhich  clothed  a  rich, 
rolling  country.  At  last  we  were  rewarded  by  the  sight  of  a 
couple  of  buffaloes  feeding  some  distance  ahead.  Gliding  up 
warily  till  I  got  within  fifty  yards,  I  gave  one  of  them  a 
bullet  close  to  the  region  of  the  heart.  This  was  not  suf- 
ficient to  bring  the  animal  down,  and  off  it  lumbered. 
Following  it  up,  we  were  soon  once  more  at  close  quarters, 
Avith  the  result  that  a  bvdlet  from  my  Express  passed  through 
its  shoulder.  With  the  obstinacy  and  tenacity  of  life 
characteristic  of  its  kind,  however,  it  did  not  quietly  succumb. 
I  next  tried  it  with  a  fair  header.  This  obviously  took 
effect,  for  after  it  had  struggled  forward  some  distance  it  lay 
down,  clearly,  as  I  thought,  to  die.  My  belief  was  quite 
correct,  only  I  should  not  have  disturbed  its  last  moments. 
Concluding,  very  foolishly,  that  the  buffalo  was  completely 
liors  de  combat,  and  that  the  game  was  mine,  I,  with  the 
jaunty  air  of  a  conqueror,  tucked  my  rifle  under  my  arm,  and 
proceeded  to  secure  my  prize.  Brahim,  with  more  sense, 
warned  me  that  it  Avas  not  finished  yet ;  and  indeed,  if  I 
had  not  been  a  fool — which  the  most  sensible  people  will  be 
sometimes — I  might  have  concluded  that  with  so  much  of 
the  evil  one  in  its  nature  the  brute  had  still  sufficient  life  to 
play  me  a  mischief,  for  it  still  held  its  head  erect  and  de- 
fiant, though  we  were  unseen.  Heedless  of  Brahim's  ad- 
monition, I  obstinately  went  forward,  intending  to  give  it 
its  quietus  at  close  quarters.  I  had  got  within  six  yards, 
and  yet  I  remained  unnoticed,  the  head  of  the  buffalo  being 
turned  slightly  from  me,  and  I  not  making  much  noise.  I 
M'as  not  destined  to  go  much  further.  A  step  or  two  more 
and  there  was  a  rustling  among  some  dead  leaves.  Simulta- 
neously the  buffalo's  head  turned  in  my  direction.  A  fero- 
cious, blood-curdling  grunt  instantly  apprised  me  of  the 
brute's  resolution  to  be  revenged.  The  next  moment  it  was 
on  its  feet.  Unprepared  to  fire,  and  completely  taken  by 
surprise,  I  had  no  time  for  thought.  Instinctively  I.  turned 
my  back  upon  my  infuriated  enemy.     As  far  as  my  re- 


"In  the  Jaws  op  Death."  305 

collections  serve  rae,  I  had  no  feeling  of  fear  while  I  was 
running  away.  I  am  almost  confident  that  I  was  not  putting 
my  best  foot  foremost,  and  that  I  felt  as  if  the  whole  affair 
was  rather  a  well-played  game.  It  was  a  game,  however, 
that  did  not  last  long.  I  was  aware  of  Brahim  tearing  away 
in  front  of  me.  There  Avas  a  loud  crashing  behind  me. 
Then  something  touched  me  on  the  thigh,  and  I  was  promptly 
propelled  skyward. 

My  next  recollection  was  finding  myself  lying  dazed  and 
bruised,  with  some  hazy  notion  that  I  had  better  take  care  ! 
With  this  indefinite  sense  of  something  unusual  I  slowly  and 
painfully  raised  my  head,  and  lo  !  there  was  the  brutal  avenger 
standing  three  yards  off,  watching  his  victim,  but  ap[)arently 
disdaining  to  hoist  an  inert  foe.  I  found  I  was  lying  with 
my  head  towards  the  buffalo.  Strangely  enough  even  then, 
though  I  was  in  what  may  be  called  the  jaws  of  death,  I  had 
not  the  slightest  sensation  of  dread  ;  only  the  electric  thought 
flashed  through  my  brain,  "  If  he  comes  for  me  again  I  am  a 
dead  man."  It  almost  seemed  to  me  as  if  my  thought  roused 
the  buffalo  to  action.  Seeing  signs  of  life  in  my  hitherto 
inanimate  body,  he  blew  a  terrible  blast  through  his  nostrils, 
and  prepared  to  finish  me  off.  Stunned  and  bruised  as  I  was, 
I  could  make  no  fight  for  life.  I  simply  dropped  my  head 
down  among  the  grass  in  the  vague  hope  that  it  might  escape 
being  pounded  into  jelly.  Just  at  that  moment  a  rifle-shot 
rang  through  the  forest,  which  caused  me  to  raise  my  head 
once  more.  With  glad  surprise  I  found  the  buffalo's  tail 
presented  to  •  my  delighted  contemplation.  Instinctively 
seizing  the  unexi^ected  moment  of  grace,  I  with  a  terrible 
effort  pulled  myself  together  and  staggered  away  a  few  steps. 
As  I  did  so,  I  happened  to  put  my  hand  down  to  my  thigh, 
and  there  I  felt  something  warm  and  wet ;  exploring  further, 
my  fingers  found  their  way  into  a  big  hole  in  my  thigh. 
As  I  made  this  discovery  there  was  quite  a  voUey,  and  I  saw 
my  adversary  drop  dead. 

I  began  to  feel  that  I  myself  might  now  succumb  in  peace, 
and  I  nearly  fainted  away.  Momentarily  realizing,  however, 
the  dangerous  nature  of  my  wound,  I  succeeded,  with  an 
almost  superhuman  effort,  in  pulling  oft'  my  trousers,  and  with 
my  handkerchief  tightly  binding  up  the  wound,  from  which 
the  blood  was  gushing.  I  could  then  only  smile  reassuringly 
to  Martin,  and  glide  sweetly  into  a  faint  in  his  arms.  Shortly 
after,  I  was  able  fiu'ther  to  console  my  alarmed  followers  by 
returning  to  consciousness,  and  as  the  bleeding  had  now  con- 


Faint,  but  saved!  307 

siderably  abated,  I  could  let  them  take  off  my  boots,  which 
were  filled  with  blood.  To  show  that  the  accident  was  not 
worth  speaking  about,  I  attempted  to  walk  a  few  steps,  but 
again  nearly  fainted.  I  now  learned  that  I  had  gone  up  in 
the  most  beautiful  style,  my  hat  going  off  in  one  direction 
and  my  rifle  in  another  as  if  I  was  showering  favours  on  an 
admiring  crowd  below,  I  must  have  come  down  on  my  side, 
as  I  was  seriously  bruised  along  the  face  and  ribs.  For  a 
time  I  thought  some  of  the  ribs  were  broken.  This,  however, 
proved  not  to  be  the  case.  The  curious  thing  is  that  I  have 
no  recollection  of  anything  after  feehng  myself  touched  on 
tlie  thigh  by  the  buffalo's  horn.  I  did  not  even  feel  myself 
falL  With  regard  to  my  unconsciousness  of  fear  on  finding 
myself  vis-d-vis  with  the  maddened  and  deadly  animal,  I  can 
only  imagine  that  I  must  have  been  in  a  manner  mesmerizeil, 
and  in  the  condition  described  by  Livingstone  when  he  found 
himself  under  a  Uon. 

On  examining  my  wound,  which  did  not  pain  me  much,  I 
found  tliat  one  horn  had  penetrated  nearly  six  inches  into  my 
thigh,  grazing  the  bone,  and  just  reacliing  the  skin  sevefiJ 
inches  above.  The  wound  was  thus  more  of  the  nature  of  a 
stab  than  a  rent  or  rupture,  and  if  it  should  prove  that  there 
had  been  nothing  poisonous  on  the  horn,  I  should,  with  the 
constitution  I  had,  have  nothing  to  fear.  The  horns  proved 
to  be  both  massive  and  beautiful,  the  curves  being  exquisitely 
graceful,  and  I  duly  enjoyed  the  sight  of  them  as  I  bade 
farewell  to  the  old  year  with  suitable  regrets  (conventional) 
that  I  was  not  to  vanish  with  him,  and  drank  to  the  hof>eful 
new  year  in  deep  libations  of  buffalo  soup.  Through  the 
sleepless  watches  of  the  night  I  was  far  from  unhappy,  as  I 
pictured  to  myself  the  yearly  family  gathering  far  away  in 
Scotland,  and  reflected  that  on  the  succeeding  year  I  should 
have  a  proper  story  to  tell  them.  I  laughed  heartily  as  I 
imagined  to  myself  the  queer  differences  in  our  respective 
positions — they  enjoying  them  themselves  with  the  good  cheer 
of  the  paternal  home,  doubtless  not  forgetful  of  me  ;  while  I 
was  wishing  them  the  compliments  of  the  season  in  soup  of 
an  animal  which  a  few  hours  before  had  nearly  killed  me. 

Thus  endedthe  year  1883,  andas  asouvenir  of  the  day,  I  have 
much  pleasure  in  presenting  to  the  sympathizing  reader  an 
engraving  of  the  horns  of  the  bull'alo,  which,  it  may  be  added, 
are  three  feet  eight  inches  in  a  straight  line  from  curve  to  curve. 

New  Year's  morning  found  me  little  better  than  an  animated 
log,  though  marvellously  quick  to  the  toucL     My  exposure  in 

X  2 


308  Through  Masai  Land. 

the  open  air  after  being  wounded  had  resulted  in  a  rheumatic 
affection  of  the  shoulders,  hips,  and  knees  wliich  rendered  nie 
so  helpless  that  I  could  not  stir  without  assistance,  and  I  had 
actually  to  be  fed.  But  this  was  no  time  to  indulge  in  the 
luxury  of  being  nursed.  I  was  in  an  uninhabited  wilderness, 
and  move  on  Ave  must.  Martin  had  constructed  a  stretcher 
of  sticks  on  the  previous  day,  and  thereou  I  had  to  submit  to 
the  humiliation  of  being  carried — the  first  time  that  I  had 
ever  sunk  so  low.  I  concluded,  however,  that,  everything  con- 
sidered, my  situation  was  not  so  very  bad  after  all.  I  could 
not  but  smile  at  the  jocularities  of  my  men,  who  were  literally 
quarrelling  to  have  the  honour  of  being  my  carriers — a  striking 
change  from  the  time  when  they  were  the  mere  oflf-scourings- 
of  Zanzibar  villany,  and  required  to  be  driven  like  a  slave 
caravan  with  language  more  forcible  than  elegant,  and  with 
the  frequent  application  of  the  birch.  They  Avere  now  elevated 
to  the  status  of  men  and  brothers,  and  their  enthusiasm  to  do 
work  sometimes  required  to  be  restrained.  The  carriers 
dubbed  me  "Our  dollars,"  and  continually  incited  each  other 
with  delightfully  expressive  freedom  to  "  Hurry  up  with  our 
dollars!"  "Look  alive  there!"  (one  would  shout  to  his 
fellow)  ;  "  do  you  mean  to  leave  our  ^^z'ce  in  the  wilderness  ? " 
No  !  it  was  quite  clear  that  I  would  not  be  left  to  die  as  long  as 
they  could  hold  up  a  hand  !  But  my  smiles  at  these  curious 
exclamations  were  not  unmixed  with  frowns,  Avhen  I  thought 
of  the  deep  meaning  underlying  their  allusion  to  me  as  their 
dollars — an  allusion  fraught  Avith  dishonour  to  the  English 
name,  rarely  before  sullied  in  East  Africa.  It  has  occurred 
at  least  once  in  the  recent  history  of  traA'^el  in  that  region, 
that  the  death  of  a  leader  meant  the  entire  loss  to  the  porters 
of  their  Avages,  honourably  and  arduously  earned. 

It  had  been  my  intention  to  ascend  the  high  range  of  Chib- 
charagnani,  both  to  determine  its  height  and  to  get  an  extended 
vieAV  aAvay  north  toAvards  Elgumi.  This,  of  course,  proved  to 
be  out  of  the  question,  now  that  I  had  to  be  carried  along 
helpless — and  no  mean  Aveight  I  Avas  ;  for  at  that  time,  though 
somewhat  pulled  doAvn  by  the  fever,  I  Avas  in  very  respectable 
condition.  We  Avere  forced,  therefore,  to  content  ourselves 
Avith  skirting  its  base— a  trying  enough  matter  Avith  the 
number  of  streams  flowing  to  the  Nzoia. 

My  Avound  meauAvhile  rapidly  improved  with  no  other 
medicine  than  pure  cold  Avater,  and  neither  inflammation  nor 
suppuration  set  in.  By  the  4th  of  January  I  Avas  able  to 
hobble  a  little  bit  in  the  evening. 


Misplaced  Tfust.  309 

On  the  7th  we  reached  the  forest  belt  which  caps  the  edge 
of  the  plateau  of  Guas'  Xgishu,  and  we  found  ourselves 
somewhat  in  a  quandary.  To  traverse  that  dense  and 
gloomy  tract  without  a  road  was  simply  impossible,  except 
by  spending  days  in  cutting,  to  bring  ourselves  to  the  edge 
of  the  Elgeyo  precipice.  We  knew  there  were  only  two 
places  where  the  descent  could  be  made,  and  we  were  now 
looking  for  the  one  which  leads  into  the  district  of  Maragwet. 
At  this  juncture  we  were  overjoyed  to  meet  an  Andorobbo 
hunter,  who  promised  for  a  consideration  to  convey  us  to 
our  destination.  We  at  once  showered  presents  of  senenge 
and  beads  upon  him,  and  joyfully  followed  him.  Mean- 
while the  country  was  so  hilly  and  the  pathway  so  narrow, 
that  I  was  constrained  to  mount  my  donkey  "  Nil  Despe- 
randum  "  (alias  Dick).     We  did  not  follow  our  guide  far,  for 


HOBBS  OF  THK  BUF7AXO. 

he  presently  gave  us  the  slip,  and  we  found  our  progress  cut 
short  at  the  end  of  a  rul-de-sac. 

We  duly  anathematized  the  treacherous  scoundrel ;  but 
there  was  nothing  for  us  except  to  retreat.  We  now  threw 
the  reins  upon  the  neck  of  circumstances,  and  in  the  spirit  of 
pure  venture  we  struck  away  north,  vaguely  hoping  for  some 
lucky  accident  to  lead  us  out  of  our  difficulties.  For  a  time 
we  knocked  around  aimlessly  ;  but  at  last  we  struck  upon  a 
trace  of  a  fonner  pathway,  which  seemed  to  lead  in  the 
required  direction.  Into  this  we  at  once  plunged,  a  dozen 
men  leading  the  way  to  cut  down  all  obstructions,  in  the 
shape  of  overhanging  branches,  creepers,  &c.,  as  I  had  to  sit 
like  a  log  on  the  donkey.  We  were  pleased  to  find  that  the 
path  did  not  end  quickly,  and  we  followed  it  with  rising 
hopes,     I  got  some  terrible  ^vxenches  on  the  donkey,  how- 


310  Through  Masai  Land. 

ever,  and  nearly  met  the  fate  of  Absalom  on  various  trees. 
Once  I  was  placed  in  extreme  jeopardy  in  descending  a 
slippery  place,  the  donkey  being  attacked  by  ants,  which 
drove  it  nearly  mad.  The  excited  animal  required  the 
combined  efforts  of  two  men  at  its  head  and  two  at  its  tail 
to  bring  it  to  a  stop  and  allow  me  to  be  rescued. 

After  mid-day  we  reached  the  edge  of  the  escarpment, 
and  I  commenced  to  move  down  in  a  painful  manner. 
Finally  at  1  p.m.  we  reached  the  upper  limits  of  cultivation, 
and  camped  in  a  grove  of  Avild  bananas,  by  a  purling  rill. 
We  were  greatly  pleased  to  learn  that  our  Mombasa  friend 
Moran,  with  his  colleague  Hamis,  was  in  our  immediate 
vicinity,  hunting  up  ivory.  Ifext  morning  we  moved  down 
to  their  camp,  and  here  we  stayed  a  couj^le  of  days  to  give 
my  wound  a  better  chance  of  healing  than  it  had  yet  got. 

Resuming  our  way,  we  were  almost  baffled  in  our  attempt 
to  descend,  owing  to  the  excessive  steepness  of  the  way,  and 
the  loose  blocks  which  strewed  the  face  of  the  mountain.  I 
here  noticed  the  employment  of  canals  for  irrigation,  on  a 
larger  scale  than  in  Teita,  many  of  them  being  conveyed 
with  surprising  judgment  along  the  most  unexi^ected  places. 
We  contrived  to  make  the  descent  without  accident,  and  the 
men  camped  beside  one  of  the  artificial  canals  employed 
to  bring  the  Avater  from  a  great  distance,  to  irrigate  the 
ground  at  the  base.  In  camping  here,  we  found  we  had 
simply  delivered  ourselves  into  the  hands  of  the  PhiHstines. 
The  natives  at  once  put  the  screw  upon  us  to  extort  a 
large  liongo.  Seeing  us  hesitate,  they  quietly  retired,  and 
the  water  Avith  them — for  they  could  easily  divert  it  in  its 
upper  course.  This  was  quite  sufficient  to  produce  the 
desired  efifect.  We  humbly  paid  up  ;  and  immediately,  as 
if  a  modern  rod  of  Moses  had  struck  the  rock,  the  water 
began  to  flow. 

Leaving  Maragwet,  we  skirted  the  base  of  the  escarpment 
through  horrid  thorn-bushes,  which  speedily  tore  my  trousers 
to  tatters,  Avhile  my  legs  bled  profusely.  In  six  hours  we 
reached  the  Wei-wei,  and  camped. 

Then  we  pushed  on  to  the  western  base  of  Kamasia. 
Here  one  of  my  men  had  a  very  narrow  escape  from  a  pulF 
adder.  He  nearly  sat  down  on  it  before  he  knew  it,  and 
only  saved  himself  by  going  off  like  a  rocket.  On  killing 
it,  we  found  the  fangs  to  be  two  inches  long,  curved,  and 
sharp  as  a  needle. 

Wo  next  moved  on  to  our  old  camp  at  Kapte.     There  I 


Lively,  if  not  amitsing.  311 

left  Makatubu  and  the  great  majority  of  the  men  to  collect 
food  for  our  homeward  march,  while  I  went  on  to  Baringo 
to  see  that  all  was  well  with  the  main  body  of  my  caravan. 
I  left  orders  with  Makatubu  not  to  return  tUl  every  man  had 
a  load  of  food  and  ten  days'  personal  rations  besides. 

Our  first  march  took  us  across  the  mountains,  and  our 
second  to  Baringo,  where  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  finding 
everything  right,  with  the  exception  that  one  man  had  died. 

The  elephant-hunters  left  by  Jumba  had  met  with  two 
accidents,  one  of  them  having  ended  fatally.  In  the  one 
case  a  woxmded  elephant  had  turned  and  caught  its  tormenter 
and  shaken  him  about  as  a  dog  would  a  rat,  and  then  thrown 
him  aside  breathless  and  nearly  dead.  In  the  other  the 
same  thing  had  occurred,  but  the  man  was  killed  outright. 
Strangest  thing  of  all,  the  unfortunate  man's  gun  was  never 
foimd,  though  several  days  were  spent  in  search  of  the 
valuable  article,  and  the  only  conclusion  that  could  be 
arrived  at  was  that  the  elephant  had  carried  it  off  to  the 
mountains.  The  other  men  had  been  more  fortunate,  and 
had  shot  some  elephants  with  fine  tusks,  several  being  con- 
siderably over  100  lbs.  each. 

The  temperature  proved  to  be  much  wanner  now,  indicating 
an  approach  to  the  wet  season.  No  rain,  however,  had 
fallen,  and  everything  was  burnt  up  tiU  the  grass  crumbled 
into  powder  imder  our  feet,  and  the  rich  alluvium  was  cut 
up  in  all  directions  by  yawning  rents,  which  made  it 
dangerous  work  hunting.  In  consequence  of  the  warmer 
nights  we  were  now  very  much  annoyed  with  mosquitoes, 
which  swarmed  about  us.  When  the  actual  rains  do  com- 
mence, the  country  is  said  to  be  almost  unendurable,  and 
the  Wa-kwafi  declare  that  they  are  utterly  unable  to  sleep 
and  have  to  spend  the  night  beside  bonfires,  dancing.  The 
possibility  of  this  queer  plight  I  soon  demonstrated,  though 
not  much  to  my  satisfaction.  On  one  or  two  occasions  on 
which  I  ventured  near  the  marshy  flats  aroiind  the  lake 
towards  evening,  in  search  of  game,  I  was  soon  jumping 
vigorously  to  a  naughty  tune — but  not  for  the  fun  of  the 
thing.     I  had  to  flee  precipitately. 

For  several  days  alter  my  return  to  Baringo,  I  occupied 
myself  taking  a  series  of  observations  to  determine  my  longi- 
tude and  latitude,  though  under  considerable  diflBculties,  as 
my  partially-healed  wound  was  not  conducive  to  the  calm 
study  of  astronomical  phenomena  where  a  sitting  posture  was 
required. 


312  Through  Masai  Land. 

At  last,  however,  towards  the  end  of  the  month,  I  had  the 
satisfaction  of  finding  the  wound  quite  closed,  and  only  a 
nasty  stiffness  remaining,  which  did  not  improve  the  elegance 
of  my  walking.  This  allowed  me  to  go  out  and  shoot  several 
waterbuck  to  add  to  our  small  stock  of  food,  as  none  could 
be  got  either  at  ISjemps  or  Kamasia. 

The  Wa-kwafi  of  ISjemps  indeed  were  at  a  very  sad  pass, 
and  were  glad  to  eat  rats  or  any  unclean  thing — a  strange 
falling  off  from  the  original  strict  dietary  of  the  Masai,  which 
allows  of  neither  fish  nor  feathered  creature,  nor  even  any 
wild  animal.  Their  sham  has,  or  plantations,  were  now 
well  pre])ared  for  the  reception  of  the  seed,  and  it  only 
required  water  to  yield  an  abundant  crop.  The  rains, 
however,  could  not  be  depended  upon,  or  were  so  brief  in 
duration  as  to  be  insufficient,  hence  the  people  had  to  fall 
back  upon  the  waters  of  the  Guaso  Tigirisli. 

One  night  I  was  awakened  by  hearing  great  singing  and 
dancing,  as  if  the  best  of  fun  was  going  on  in  the  village 
across  the  liver.  Thinking  that  it  was  only  a  man  dead,  and 
that  they  were  about  to  hand  him  over  to  the  hyenas  outside, 
I  was  settling  down  to  sleep  again,  when  I  was  made  aware 
that  the  revellers  were  moving  along  the  river  banks.  Then 
they  stopped  and  howled  for  about  an  hour  to  Ngai.  This 
done,  they  were  addressed  by  some  of  the  elders,  and  finally 
they  crossed  the  stream  and  proceeded  up  its  course.  The 
singing  had  been  a  prayer  to  Ngai  to  assist  in  the  damming 
up  of  the  stream  for  the  purpose  of  spreading  its  waters  into 
their  fields.  This  operation  occupied  them  several  days. 
Their  efforts  Avere  finally  crowned  with  success,  and  the 
canals  overflowed  with  their  life-giving  fluid. 

At  this  time  I  was  so  fortunate  as  to  meet  several  members 

of  a  tribe  to  the  north,  known  as  tlie  Wa-suk.     They  were 

strong-boned,  ugly-looking  fellows,  tliough  their  heads  were 

not   markedly  negroid.     They  went  absolutely  naked,  if  we 

except  a  very  small  bit  of  kid-skm  ornamented  with  beads, 

worn  by  one  of  them  like  a  bib.     A  piece  of  flat  brass  hung 

from  the  lower  lip  of  each,  and  must  have  been  both  painful 

and  awkAvard  to  the  wearer.     The  most  remarkable  feature, 

of  the  Wa-suk,   however,  was  tlie  manner  in  which  they 

dressed  their  hair.     By  some  process,  which  I  have  never 

been  able  to  fathom,  they  work  their  hair  into  the  shape  of 

a  bag,  jjointed  somewhat  at  the  bottom,  having  a  piece  of 

horn  curling  round  and  upwards  as  a  termination.     By  some 

glutinous  preparation  tlic  hair  is  worked  into  a  solid  mass, 


The  Wa-suk. 


313 


resembling  in  texture  a  cross-cat  of  unpolished  ebony- wood. 
Tlie  entrance  to  tliis  remarkable  bag  was  from  beneath,  the 
hand  requiring  to  be  passed  backward  over  the  shoulder.  In 
this  they  placed  all  their  small  articles,. beads,  &c. 

The  Wa-suk  are  described  as  very  warlike,  and  generally 
quite  a  match  for  the  Masai,  in  whose  country-  they  fre- 
quently make  raiils.  They  have,  indeed,  compelled  the 
Masai  to  retire  from  the  northern  part  of  Lykipia.  They 
occupy  a  magnificent  and  picturesque  range  of  mountains, 
which  lie  across  the  central  depression  some  thirty  miles 


HATITBS  or   SUK   OK  A   VISIT  TO  HJEKPS. 

north  of  Baringo.  They  keep  cattle,  sheep,  and  goats,  but 
also  cultivate  the  soil.  It  is  s;ud  that  they  build  no  huts, 
unless  we  reckon  as  such  a  rude  gathering  of  stones  sufficient 
to  enclose  a  couple  of  people.  In  wet  weather  they  squat 
inside  these  roofless  structures,  sheltering  themselves  under 
dressed  hides — certainly  the  most  primitive  mode  of  living 
imaginable,  if  the  description  is  really  true  (of  which  I  can 
give  no  guarantee).  Their  language  is  allied  distantly  to 
the  Masai,  and  they  doubtless  form  a  connecting  link  between 
the  latter  race  and  the  Nile  tribes. 


314  Through  Masai  Land. 

Beyond  the  Suk  country  is  that  of  Engobot,  only  a  few 
years  ago  opened  up  to  coast  trade.  Then  come  about  eighty 
miles  of  xminhabited  forest,  in  which  elephants  are  said  to 
swarm  unmolested  and  their  ivory  to  rot  untouched — for  the 
people  of  the  surrounding  region  have  no  trading  relations 
with  any  one,  and  do  not  know  the  value  of  that  precious 
article.  A  tusk  Avorth  150^.  in  England  may  be  picked  up 
for  nothing,  or  bought  from  any  native  for  a  pennyworth  of 
beads. 

Jumba  Kimameta,  as  I  learned  afterwards,  was  the  first  to 
cross  this  pathless  region.  He  reached  Elgumi  beyond,  which 
he  found  to  be  a  country  with  a  dense  population  ready  to  sell 
donkeys  for  a  few  strings  of  beads,  a  goat  for  one  string,  a 
tusk  of  ivory  for  two  or  three  strings,  and  great  baskets  of  food 
at  corresponding  prices.  He  found  the  natives  ornamented 
with  beads  such  as  are  not  known  among  traders,  and  which 
must  have  found  their  way  thither  at  some  very  ancient 
period.  The  women  wore  only  a  very  small  skin  appendage 
as  a  dress,  and  the  men  only  a  band  of  beads.  Near  the 
furthest  point  Jumba  reached,  the  people  spoke  of  a  great  salt 
lake  on  which  were  boats,  and  said  that  from  that  direction 
they  had  heard  of  guns,  though  they  had  ncA^er  seen  them. 
They  brought  the  traders  flour  made  from  the  fruit  of  the 
hypliene  palm. 

From  the  various  accounts  I  concluded  that  the  escarpment 
of  Elgeyo  extends  indefinitely  northward,  though  with  a 
westerly  trend,  marking  ofi",  without  a  doubt,  the  eastern 
Avatershed  of  the  Sobat  and  smaller  tributaries  of  the  Nile. 

Then  from  some  "Wa-kwafi,  who  arrived  from  Samburu 
while  I  was  at  Baringo,  I  learned  that  the  Lykipia  range  or 
escarpment  also  extends  away  north  by  east  beyond  Nyiro, 
and  probably  forms  the  eastern  side  of  the  great  Lake 
Hamburu.  Tliis  lake  they  described  as  from  twenty  to  thirty 
miles  broad  ;  but  its  length  they  knew  not,  as  they  had  never 
seen  the  northern  end.  They  further  spoke  of  it  as  lying 
between  mountains  several  thousands  of  feet  high,  though 
the  water  does  not  quite  reach  their  base,  and  there  "Wa- 
kwafi  dwell.  They  say  that  the  water  is  salt,  and  has 
surprising  numbers  of  enormous  icJiite  fish,  with  crocodiles 
and  hippopotami.     The  natives  have  no  canoes. 

Doubtless  the  eastern  mountains  extend  even  further  north 
till  they  meet  those  of  Southern  Abyssinia,  and  form  the 
watershed  of  the  still  mysterious  Jub  Biver.  The  lake 
depression  of  Naivasha  and  Baringo  would  thus  appear  to 


Lake  Babingo.  315 

extend  north,  though  gradually  widening  out,  and  to  enclose 
the  extensive  area  which  includes  Samburu  and  another 
large  lake,  the  Suk  country,  and  Elgumi.  It  is  probably  a 
great  plain  with  numerous  large  volcanic  mountains  and 
isolated  ranges,  from  which  descend  various  streams  to  irrigate 
the  lower  parts,  and  there  die  out  or  flow  into  the  neighbour- 
ing lakes. 

We  may  put  the  general  level  of  the  country  at  from 
4000  to  5000  feet,  excluding  the  mountains ;  and  doubtless, 
like  the  great  Masai  plain  to  the  south  of  Naivasha,  it  has  no 
communication  either  with  the  Nile  tributaries  or  with  the 
Jub.  Clearly  there  is  a  region  of  great  interest  and  importance 
here,  the  exploration  of  which  will  be  a  rich  reward  to  the 
adventuresome  traveller  ;  and  I  can  only  say  I  shall  envy  the 
man  who  is  first  in  the  field. 

A  few  words  may  now  be  said  about  the  hitherto  mysteri- 
ous Lake  Baringo.  This  sheet  of  water  has  long  been  heard 
of.  It  has  been  a  delightful  bone  of  contention  between  the 
geographers  at  home,  who  have  delighted  to  draw  it  in 
various  phases  with  the  large  and  liberal  hand  characteristic 
of  those  who  are  guided  by  their  inner  consciousness  and  a 
theoretic  eye.  Sometimes  it  was  comparable  to  the  Nyanza 
in  size  ;  at  other  times  it  had  no  existence.  Then  it  knocked 
aroimd  the  map  a  bit,  being  at  one  time  tacked  on  to  Victoria 
Nyanza,  and  anon  separated  from  it,  or  only  connected  by  a 
thin  watery  line.  After  all  this  shuttlecock  work,  what  is 
the  truth  about  it  t  Well,  it  proves  to  be  an  isolated  basin 
of  no  great  size,  but  exquisitely  charming,  with  its  pretty 
isles,  which  look  like  a  central  big  emerald  surrounded  by 
smaller  topazes,  and  set  in  burnished  silver.  And  then  how 
sunnily  it  smiles  up  at  its  great  parents,  the  shaggy  over- 
hanging masses  of  Kamasia  and  Lykipia,  whose  upjxjr  cloud- 
sucking  heights  collect  the  rain,  and  send  it  down  with 
delightful  nature-music,  dancing  and  leaping  !  In  extreme 
length  the  lake  is  18  miles,  and  in  breadth  10  miles. 

Perhaps  one  of  the  most  remarkable  facts  about  it  is  the 
large  amount  of  water  it  receives,  even  in  the  dry  season, 
without  rising  in  level  to  any  extent,  or  finding  an  outlet.  It 
is  hardly  conceivable  that  on  such  a  small  area  the  evapo- 
ration is  sufficient  to  preserve  the  equilibrium.  Even  in  the 
very  driest  part  of  the  season,  no  less  than  five  streams  of 
considerable  dimensions  flow  into  it,  and  in  the  wet  season 
two,  if  not  tliree,  more.  The  volume  in  the  wet  season  must 
be  very  great,  aud  yet  the  level  of  the  lake  rises  extremely 


316 


Through  Masai  Land. 


little,  probably  not  more  than  two  feet.  To  make  the  puzzle 
more  complete,  the  water  is  quite  sweet,  and  harbours 
enormous  numbers  of  fish,  Avith  some  crocodiles  (where  can 
they  have  come  from  ?)  and  hippopotami.  It  would  almost 
seem  as  if  there  must  be  a  subterranean  outlet. 

The  central  island  is  known  as  Kirwan,  and  is  inhabited 
by  Wa-kwafi,  who  cultivate  the  soil,  and  have  cattle,  sheep,  and 
goats.  They  go  backwards  and  forwards  in  small  canoes  of 
the  most  ideal  type.  They  are  formed  to  hold  only  one  man 
or  two  boys,  and  are  composed  of  a  remarkable  light  mimosa- 


GAZELIA   TH0M80NI. 


wood,  found  growing  round  the  lake  in  marshy  places.  It 
seems  to  be  as  light  as  cork.  The  component  parts  of  the 
canoe  are  simply  tied  together  in  their  rough  state.  I  tried 
to  get  ferried  over  to  the  island,  but  the  islanders  believed 
I  Avanted  to  bewitch  the  place,  and  point-blank  refused  to 
take  me. 

Baringo  does  not  seem  to  have  been  formed  by  tlie  piling 
up  of  debris  across  tlie  trough,  as  is  the  case  with  Naivasha. 
It  appears  rather  to  have  been  brought  into  existence  by  a 
secondary  subsidence  of  the  depression.     On  looking  down 


Lake  Bartngo.  317 

upon  it  at  various  times  from  a  height,  the  thought  was  con- 
tinually suggested  to  me  that  Kirwan  was  the  upper  part  of 
the  cone  of  a  volcano  which  had  disappeared  by  sinking 
below  the  level  of  the  surrounding  country,  forming,  in  con- 
sequence, a  receptiicle  for  its  waters.  This,  of  course,  is  only 
a  notion — though  without  a  doubt  subsidence  is  the  explana- 
tion of  Baringo's  existence. 

At  the  north  end  the  most  remarkable  evidence  of  recent 
volcanic  activity  is  to  be  seen  in  the  block-strewn  ground, 
presenting  one  of  the  most  trying  bits  of  country  to  traverse 
I  have  ever  encountered.  The  angular  slags  and  scoriaceous 
fi-agnients  are  so  unchanged  and  fresh-looking,  that  they  seem 
to  be  the  volcanic  product  of  the  day  before.  I  have  been 
on  Vesuvius  and  seen  the  lava  flow  out,  and  fragments  and 
stones  piled  up ;  and  to  me  the  resemblance  to  both  in  the 
phenomena  of  Baringo  was  marvellously  striking.  At  the 
south  end  there  are  numerous  hot  springs,  which  speak 
eloquently,  if  other  evidence  was  needed,  of  the  recent 
potency  of  the  volcanic  forces.  At  one  time  Baringo  must 
have  extended  much  further  south^-quite  ten  miles — but 
seems  to  have  been  silted  up  by  the  enormous  quantity  of 
mud  brought  from  the  mountains.  Even  yet  a  considerable 
area  is  occupied  by  a  marsh  fed  by  several  streams  and 
springs  on  their  way  to  Baringo. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

SPORT   AT    BARINGO    AXD   JOURN'EY    COASTWARD. 

At  the  end  of  January,  Makatubu  turned  up  from  Kamasia. 
He  brought,  however,  considerably  less  food  than  was  needed 
for  a  prolonged  stay  at  Baringo  and  a  return  through  the 
Masai  country.  As  my  wound  was  now  quite  healed  I 
would  have  resumed  our  march  at  once  ;  but  I  felt  I  was  in 
honour  bound  not  to  desert  the  few  old  traders  left  by  Jumba. 
These  were  beginning  to  be  anxious  about  his  non-appearance, 
as  all  sorts  of  rumours  were  in  the  air  about  fearful 
massacres  and  fights.  Under  the  circumstances  I  could  do  no 
other  than  wait  some  time,  even  though  our  stores  and 
supplies  were  getting  perilously  near  an  end. 

In  order  to  fill  up  the  time  there,  I  resolved  to  explore 
the  country  to  the  north  of  Baringo,  and,  if  possible,  indulge 


318  Theough  Masai  Land. 

in  a  bit  of  sport  for  its  own  sake,  all  my  previous  deeds  in 
that  line  having  been  prompted  more  by  necessity  than  by 
any  craving  for  the  luxury  of  adventure. 

On  making  my  arrangements  we  were  somewhat  taken 
aback  by  discovering  that  no  guide  could  be  got  to  lead  us 
to  the  place  required,  as  no  meat  is  allowed  to  be  touched, 
except  elephant,  buffalo,  and  fish,  between  the  period  at 
which  the  water  is  let  into  their  fields  and  the  formation  of 
the  heads  of  grain.  Any  one  known  to  touch  antelope  or 
zebra  during  that  time  is  at  once  excommunicated  and  driven 
as  an  infected  being  from  the  village.  How  these  strange 
ideas  have  arisen  it  would  be  difficult  to  say,  as  they  do  not 
belong  to  their  brethren,  the  Masai,  neither  are  they  held  by 
their  neighbours,  the  "Wa-kamasia.  Doubtless,  some  disaster 
happened  to  the  crops  on  the  occasion  of  a  zebra-hunt,  and 
was  ascribed  to  the  fact  that  they  did  kill  and  eat  that 
animal  while  the  grain  was  springing.  From  such  trivial 
causes  many  otherwise  inexplicable  phenomena  of  negro  life 
have  without  a  doubt  arisen,  and  do  not  require  the  very 
profound  and  subtle  explanations  generally  attempted. 

We  at  last  got  a  young  man  to  guide  us,  one  who,  having 
no  relations  and  no  riches,  was  careless  whether  he  was  ex- 
communicated or  no,  so  long  as  he  Avas  assured  of  a  hand- 
some reward  and  protection  from  violence.  This  matter 
settled,  we  set  off,  going  east  to  the  base  of  the  Lykipia 
mountains.  "We  then  ascended  three  steps,  which  were 
clearly  formed  by  as  many  lines  of  fault  running  parallel  to 
the  principal  direction  of  the  escarpment.  The  grass  had 
been  only  recently  burnt  off,  leaving  the  country  under  a 
perfectly  black  pall,  unrelieved  by  green  or  yellow.  To  add 
to  the  desolate  aspect  of  the  landscape  and  the  horrors  of  the 
march,  the  entire  country  was  like  one  continuous  irregular 
mound  of  angular  lava  fragments,  which  made  the  march 
infinitely  painful  and  harassing.  After  a  killing  tramp  of 
six  hours  we  reached  an  upper  step  with  a  more  fertile  and 
flat  surface,  on  which  we  found  great  numbers  of  game  and 
plenty  of  Avater.  As  we  had  determined  to  live  entirely  by 
the  chase,  no  food  had  been  brought ;  but  in  half  an  hour 
two  zebras  and  one  giraffe  fell  to  my  gun,  and  their  bones 
were  soon  ornamenting  the  environs  of  our  camp. 

Next  morning,  on  leaving  camp,  Ave  spied  great  numbers  of 
buffalo.  I  had,  hoAvever,  learned  caution  in  dealing  Avith  these 
brutes,  and  though  revenge  for  my  recent  rough  handling 
appeared  sweet,  I  cleared  the  Avay  at  a  safe  distance  by  a  shot. 


A  Bit  of  Spoet,  319 

Further  on  I  had  to  do  the  same  with  a  rhinoceros,  which 
looked  defiant,  and  paid  with  its  life  in  consequence.  Its 
companion  soon  followed  suit  with  a  ball  through  the  heart, 
and  then  a  third  falling  in  my  way,  I  dropped  it  apjiarently 
dead.  Brahim  was  speedily  upon  it,  and  in  a  twinkling  his 
knife  had  performed  its  deadly  work.  But  just  as  its  blood 
began  to  flow  in  a  crimson  torrent,  we  were  all  astonished  by 
seeing  it  make  a  sudden  spurt  The  next  moment  Brahim 
was  pitched  from  the  head  of  the  wounded  animal,  and  we  were 
all  scattered.  Getting  on  to  its  feet,  the  rliinoceros  furiously 
charged  us  with  its  throat  completely  cut.  Of  course  it  did 
not  go  far,  as  its  life-tide  was  gushing  forth,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  it  once  more  succumbed.  The  brute  had  only  been 
stunned  by  my  ball,  and  had  come  to  its  senses  too  late 
to  avert  Brahim's  sanguinary  incision.  These  three  rhinoce- 
roses were  shot  within  half  an  hour,  and  at  the  same  moment 
we  could  see  three  enormous  herds  of  bufialo,  together  with 
zebra,  giraffe,  and  antelope. 

We  now  ascended  another  but  more  formidable  step,  lead- 
ing to  the  upper  plateau.  On  reaching  the  top  of  this  step 
we  had  before  us  a  marvellously  desolate  and  dreary  prospect 
— a  narrow,  stony  valley,  cut  up  by  numerous  nullahs,  without 
a  green  thing  to  be  seen,  and  backed  to  the  east  by  another 
and  final  step  to  the  top  of  the  table-land  (for,  be  it  noted, 
the  plateau  escarpment,  which  further  south  rises  in  an  almost 
unbroken  precipice,  is  here  broken  up  by  a  series  of  faults,  pro- 
ducing an  effect  something  like  colossal  steps).  In  this  desolate 
place  I  noticed  an  antelope,  though  I  failed  to  shoot  it.  It 
was  unlike  any  I  had  yet  seen,  but  I  am  now  inclined  to  think 
it  was  the  lesser  kudu.  Before  camping  we  saw  some  eland  and 
beisa  antelope. 

We  rejoiced  in  a  storm  of  thunder  and  rain  during  the 
night ;  but  happily  it  cleared  up  shortly  after  sunrise,  and  we 
were  enabled  to  proceed.  For  three  hours  we  tramped  on 
painfully  over  stony  ground,  and  crossed  with  difficulty  these 
extremely  deep,  dry  gorges.  About  ten  I  stalked  an  old 
buffalo  bull,  and  brought  it  down ;  but  I  was  particvdarly 
careful  not  to  go  up  to  it  till  I  was  perfectly  certain  I  would 
not  go  up  in  any  other  sense.  The  horns,  though  not  nearly 
so  long  from  curve  to  curve  as  many,  were  certainly  the  most 
massive  and  rugged  of  any  I  had  yet  set  eyes  on,  even  beatin*' 
my  Kimangelia  pair.  Like  the  animal  from  which  the  latter 
were  taken,  he  was  an  old  solitary  bull,  a  fact  which  the  lions 
had  taken  advantage  of  to  relieve  him  of  his  caudal  ajjpendafe. 


320  Through  Masai  Land. 

A  himdrod.  yards  from  the  scene  of  this  adventure  I  shot  a 
second  buffalo,  and  in  following  it  up,  I  got  a  startling 
warning  that  I  had  better  be  cautious.  I  nearly  ran  slap- 
dash on  to  the  horns  of  the  vindictive  animal  before  I  knew 
what  I  was  about,  as  I  had  my  eyes  intently  fixed  on  another 
buffalo  running  away  ahead,  which  I  thought  was  the  one 
I  had  just  wounded. 

After  midday  we  reached  a  spring  in  a  gorge  of  the  moun- 
tain, and  camped.  It  seemed,  however,  that  we  Avere  going  to 
be  compelled  to  return  without  even  seeing  an  elephant,  and 
it  was  only  too  clear  that  my  guide  knew  no  more  of  the 
surrounding  country  than  I  did.  After  refreshing  myself 
with  some  zebra-steak,  I  started  off  with  Brahim  and  Bedue 
to  have  one  last  look  round,  and  find,  if  possible  some  more 
likely  place  for  the  elephant  than  Avhere  we  were.  Following 
a  game-path  first  north,  then  east,  over  the  range  of  hills  we 
had  been  traversing  all  day,  we  reached  the  top,  to  find  yet 
another  valley  or  hollow  stepbacked  by  a  third  line  of  moun- 
tains. The  scene  was  not  quite  so  desolate  as  the  one  we 
had  just  left,  yet  it  did  not  promise  elephants.  Not  to  be 
beat,  however,  I,  though  somewhat  footsore,  resolved  to  as- 
cend the  mountain  in  front. 

Proceeding  to  cross  the  valley,  I  was  suddenly  arrested  by 
Brahim  drawing  my  attention  to  what  he  called  a  rhinoceros. 
On  examination  I  was  at  no  loss  to  discover  that  the  animal  be- 
fore me, was  a  real  indisputable  elephant.  An  opportunity  was 
thus  at  last  afforded  me  of  hunting  this  noble  brute.  Circum- 
stances, however,  were  sadly  against  me  from  the  absence  of 
cover,  there  being  no  bushes  or  trees  in  the  elephant's  imme- 
diate vicinity.  Noting,  however,  that  it  stood  with  head 
towards  the  wind,  and  therefore  in  a  favourable  position  for 
stalking,  I  commenced  that  exciting  game.  Getting  fairly 
in  its  rear,  and  also  into  a  hollow,  we  were  able  to  advance 
pretty  quickly  without  being  perceived.  On  emerging,  how- 
ever, from  the  depression  within  fifty  yards  of  the  elephant, 
the  real  difficulties  commenced.  It  was  leisurely  foctling  up 
the  wind,  though  now  and  then  turning  half  round  to  crop 
the  bushes.  On  these  occasions  it  was  necessary  to  clap  close 
to  the  earth  to  escape  detection,  and  then  jump  up  and  make  a 
short  rush  forward,  as  the  animal  moved  its  head  back,  to  sub- 
side once  more  behind  a  bushy  tuft  the  moment  it  showed  symp- 
toms of  looking  round.  My  sensations,  however  piquant,  could 
hardly  be  described  as  comfortable  in  finding  myself  in  an  open 
desert  Avithin  a  few  yards  of  the  Goliath  of  animals,  knowing 


Stalking  an  Elephant.  321 

that  if  it  should  turn  quite  round  nothing  could  save  us  from 
being  discovered. 

At  last  I  found  myself  within  ten  yards,  and  concluded 
that  I  had  got  near  enough.  Getting  with  some  trepidation 
on  to  one  knee,  I  waited  till  the  great  hulk  swung  round 
nearly,  though  not  quite,  at  right  angles  to  me.  The  next 
moment  I  fired  with  my  8-bore,  causing  it  to  gnmt  out  as 
the  ball  went  crashing  into  its  body.  Unfortunately  the 
ball  penetrated  diagonally,  causing  it  just  to  miss  the  heart. 
As  the  elephant  went  off  at  a  quick  trot,  I  gave  it  the 
contents  of  the  second  barrel,  though,  of  course,  at  a  dis- 
advantage. Then  I  seized  the  Express,  both  barrels  of  which 
I  fired.  On  the  fourth  shot  we  were  fearfully  taken  aback 
by  the  elephant  trumpeting  out,  hauling  round,  and  coming 
down  at  full  sp)eed  straight  for  us.  Giving  myself  up  as 
a  lost  man,  I  had,  however,  sufficient  presence  of  mind  to  fall 
down  behind  a  slight  tussock  of  grass,  and  simultaneously 
with  stem  and  penetrating  tones  to  order  my  companions  to 
do  the  same,  for  they  were  preparing  to  rush  off  at  once, 
which  would  have  brought  them  to  a  speedy  death.  Brahim 
pushed  the  8-bore  to  me  with  cartridges  in,  but  unlocked. 
Rectifying  this  dangerous  mistake,  I  \^Tiggled  myself  into  a 
proper  position  to  fire  when  the  crisis  came,  and  held  the 
gun  ready. 

^ly  sensations  can  be  better  imagined  than  described  on 
seeing  the  monster  coming  along  at  a  terrific  rate,  apparently 
bent  on  our  destruction.  We  seemed  to  be  choking  with 
the  excitement  as  we  almost  counted  each  footstep.  I  had 
to  exercise  all  my  powers  of  control  to  prevent  myself  from 
firing  my  gun  prematurely  through  my  convulsive  clutching 
of  the  weapon.  We  were  clearly  in  for  a  life-and-death 
fight,  in  which  the  odds  were  vastly  against  us.  We  knew 
that  our  balls  would  have  no  chance  of  dropping  the  elephant, 
even  at  close  quarters,  and,  sadly  wounded  as  it  alreatly  was, 
we  could  hardly  hope  to  turn  it.  As  it  approached,  how- 
ever, a  ray  of  hope  gleamed  fitfully  across  my  mind.  It  did 
not  seem  to  see  us,  and  appeared  rather  to  be  looking  for  the 
enemy  than  charging  at  a  definite  object — otherwise,  it 
would  probably  have  been  screaming  with  trunk  uplifted. 
But  while  this  was  true,  there  was,  nevertheless,  the  awful 
fact  that  it  was  coming  dead  for  our  lair,  and  if  we  had  not 
already  been  discovered,  we  must  inevitably  soon  be  so. 
We  must  still  fight  for  life  !  The  space  between  us  was 
lessening  with  horrible    rapidity.     My  eyes  were   almost 

Y 


322  Through  Masai  Land. 

blinded  by  the  profuse  perspiration ;  yet  I  was  conscious  of 
becoming  more  collected  as  the  danger  became  greater. 

I  was  now  tortured  chiefly  by  the  question,  "  Shall  I  fire, 
or  shall  I  wait  1 "  Nearer  and  nearer  it  came !  More  and 
more  it  loomed  fate-like  in  my  vision  !  Fifty  yards — thirty 
yards — twenty — and  still  it  held  a  straight  line,  pledged  to 
our  destruction  !  My  men  implored  me  to  fire.  My  only  reply 
was  a  kick  to  be  quiet.  My  gun  was  at  my  shoulder,  and 
my  eye  glanced  along  the  barrel.  The  elephant  had  reached 
within  ten  yards.  1 7nust  fire.  But  just  as  I  was  on  the 
point  of  pressing  the  trigger,  the  elephant  swerved  a  little  to 
one  side.  Thank  God  !  It  had  not  seen  us,  and  we  were 
saved  !  As  it  passed  close  to  us  I  was  about  to  fire,  Avhen  a 
hand  clutched  my  leg,  and  a  voice,  terror-laden,  prayed  me 
to  desist,  an  injunction  I  was  by  no  means  loth  to  attend  to, 
as,  even  in  the  first  moment  of  my  relief,  I  began  to  feel 
rather  limp  and  shaky.  Our  suspense  had  been  terrible. 
Fortunately,  also,  it  had  been  brief — for  the  whole  period 
between  my  first  shot  and  the  passing  of  the  elephant  would 
hardly  be  two  minutes. 

The  wounded  elephant  now  disappeared  in  a  nullah. 
Pulling  ourselves  together  with  a  desperate  effort  of  will, 
we  worked  away  to  get  once  more  if  possible  to  close  quarters. 
I  did  not  want  to  lose  my  prize,  for  of  course  I  was  con- 
fident, as  people  usually  are  on  such  occasions,  that  I  had 
fatally  wounded  the  elephant,  and  that  it  must  speedily  fall. 
Before  we  reached  the  nullah  the  hunted  animal  had  left  it, 
and  there  was  nothing  for  us  but  to  follow  pell-moll,  tripping 
over  stones,  falling  into  holes,  and  tearing  our  clothes  among 
the  thorns.  But  we  recked  not  of  these  mishaps  as,  with 
gasping  breath  and  eyes  eagerly  fixed  on  our  game,  we  reso- 
lutely pressed  on. 

At  first  it  led  the  way  up  the  valley  ;  then  it  struck  up 
the  face  of  the  eastern  hills.  Seeing  this  we  tried  to  cut  off 
its  course ;  but  we  only  got  to  the  top  to  find  ourselves 
exhausted,  and  the  elephant  swinging  on  in  front,  though 
miich  slower  than  before,  as  if  its  strength  was  giving  way. 
This  sign  encouraged  us;  only  I  began  to  have  terribly 
scalded  and  sore  feet  from  having  i)ut  on  a  pair  of  very 
heavy  new  boots,  and  we  had  now  been  on  the  tramp  for  ten 
hours  over  the  most  harassing  road  conceivable.  I  had 
therefore  to  let  Brahim  and  Bedue  follow  up,  while  I  caniG 
on  more  at  leisure.  The  elephant  was  now  walking,  but  at 
a  quick,  steady  pace,  which  kept  them  at  a  trot.     There 


Benighted.  323 

was  still  no  cover  to  run  alongside  of,  or  the  game  would 
have  been  speedily  ours,  and  all  that  we  could  do  was  to 
follow  up  in  the  rear  tiU  trees  were  reached.  "We  crossed 
one  step,  and  then  up  another  height,  to  find  another  valley 
and  another  range  of  hills.  Still  the  brute  held  on,  and  I 
finally  lost  sight  of  both  the  hunted  and  the  hunters. 

Presently  the  sxm  set,  and  I  was  in  the  unenviable  posi- 
tion of  being  ten  miles  from  camp,  without  a  weapon,  in  a 
country  where  lions  were  numerous.  As  darkness  rapidly 
approached  I  was  beginning  to  feel  eerie  and  somewhat  put 
out,  when  I  heard  a  rifle-shot  ringing  from  the  distant  brake. 
I  concluded  that  the  elephant  had  received  its  quietus. 
There  seemed,  however,  to  be  no  chance  of  my  meeting  my 
men,  and  I  did  not  know  what  to  do.  I  resolved  at  last  to 
wait  and  see  if  they  would  not  turn  up.  Soon,  to  my  great 
joy  and  relief,  I  saw  two  figures  appearing  in  the  fast- 
deepening  gloom.  Their  news  was  that  they  had  fired  at 
the  elephant  again  at  close  quarters,  but,  owing  to  the  dark- 
ness, had  been  compelled  to  give  up  the  chase. 

With  no  better  guide  than  the  stars,  and  with  terribly 
sore  feet,  we  commenced  our  return  over  hill  and  dale.  We 
got  knocked  about  sadly  in  the  darkness.  So  rough  was 
the  ground,  that  but  for  the  light  of  the  moon,  which  now 
rose,  we  should  have  been  compelled  to  get  up  a  tree,  and 
remain  there  till  the  morning.  Herds  of  buffaloes  coiUd  be 
seen  moving  in  dark  battalions  across  the  valley,  or  could  be 
heard  thundering  away  through  the  bush  on  their  scenting 
us.  Solitary  rhinoceroses  loomed,  demon-like,  in  the  dis- 
tance, and  on  several  occasions  the  roaring  of  lions  mingled 
with  the  indignant  whistling  bark  of  the  zebra.  After  a 
weary  struggle  we  stumbled  back  into  camp,  unspeakably 
thankful  that  we  had  got  there  safe.  We  had  been  on  our 
feet  without  intermission  for  fifteen  hours. 

Next  morning  I  resolved  to  move  up  to  the  farthest  point 
of  the  previous  day,  in  the  hope  of  tracing  the  wounded 
elephant,  and  because  Brahim  had  seen  three  more  that 
night.  On  the  way  I  shot  a  rhinoceros,  and  about  mid-day 
reached  a  picturesque  gorge,  through  which  ran  a  stream  of 
water  rising  in  a  series  of  warm  springs.  As  I  was  some- 
what done  up  with  my  former  exertions,  I  resolved  not  to 
go  out  himting,  but  sent  Bedue  and  a  party  to  take  up  the 
trail  of  the  previous  night,  as  I  was  confident  it  could  not 
have  gone  far  from  where  Ave  left  it.  Shortly  after  they 
had  gone,  a  man  came  running  back  in   breathless   haste 

Y  2 


324  Through  Masai  Land. 

throwing  us  into  excitement  by  the  news  that  some  elephants 
were  close  at  hand.  This  was  indeed  a  summons  to  battle 
which  I  could  not  ignore.  Speedily  equipping  myself, 
therefore,  with  the  necessary  instruments  of  destruction,  I 
hurried  out. 

We  had  not  gone  far  before  three  elephants  were  pointed 
out  to  us — a  male,  a  female,  and  a  young  one.  I  could  not 
but  admire  the  stately  animals  as,  with  a  dignified,  self- 
satisfied  air,  they  leisurely  marched  on — the  female  leading 
the  way,  and  the  young  scion  of  the  noble  race  following 
behind.  Finding  they  were  likely  to  get  our  wind,  I  moved 
lower  down,  but,  unfortunately,  the  men  Avho  had  first  gone 
out  remained  behind,  as  I  could  not  communicate  with  them. 
The  consequence  was  that,  just  as  the  elephants  were  coming 
into  good  position  and  I  was  getting  close  to  them,  the  men 
were  scented.  The  female  trumpeted,  and  at  first  bore 
straight  down  in  our  direction,  as  if  she  had  scented  us,  and 
was  about  to  punish  us  for  our  temerity.  I  sank  on  one 
knee  behind  a  bush  in  breathless  expectancy,  but,  before  we 
were  reached,  the  female  again  trumpeted  and  turned  at 
right-angles,  presenting  a  capital  shot,  though  I  could  not 
take  advantage  of  it.  Before  I  could  secure  a  more  favour- 
able position  they  ran  into  the  dense  bush,  and  to  fire  was 
out  of  the  question. 

We  soon  lost  sight  of  the  animals,  but  contrived  to  keep 
the  trail.  In  half  an  hour  we  found  ourselves  getting  once 
more  to  close  quarters  in  the  bush,  and  we  had  to  proceed 
with  every  precaution.  At  last  we  made  out  from  the 
sounds  that  they  had  got  over  their  scare  and  were  quiitly 
feeding.  Though  they  were  within  a  few  yards  we  could 
not  sec  them ;  but  finding  them  coming  down  upon  us,  we 
had  to  scuttle  out  of  the  way.  Eunning  round  some  bushes, 
I  got  a  good  sight  of  one  of  them  three  yards  off".  At  the 
same  moment  I  fired,  and  glided  close  into  a  bush  to  escape 
detection.  At  first,  with  outspread  ears  the  elephant  came 
straight  for  me.  For  my  own  safety  I  was  about  to  give  it 
the  contents  of  the  second  barrel,  when,  apparently  catching 
sight  of  my  gallant  men  running  aAvay,  it  seemed  to  become 
affected  with  their  fears,  and,  turning,  made  for  cover.  I 
now  sprang  up  to  pursue,  expecting,  from  the  sounds  I 
heard,  that  it  was  crashing  on  ahead.  Imagine,  then,  how 
thoroughly  I  was  \ipset  by  almost  running  against  it  as  I 
hurried  out  of  the  thick  bush.  The  creature  by  a  touch  of 
its  tail  might  have  knocked  me  over  before  I  recovered  my 


I 


n- 


=:::5—\y 


326  Theough  Masai  Land. 

wits,  and  nimbly  dodged  out  of  sight.  Having  regained 
presence  of  mind,  I  was  able  to  observe  that  the  animal 
before  me  was  positively  sitting  in  a  most  dignified  attitude 
on  its  rear.  I  did  not  stop  to  speculate  on  this  unusual 
posture,  but  speedily  put  a  ball  in  its  spine.  Dignified  to 
the  last,  my  elephant  gradually  sank  down  with  fore-legs 
bent  in,  and  I  emerged  with  the  triumphant  air  of  a  Nimrod, 
to  form  a  fitting  figure  in  the  grand  tableau.  The  first 
bullet  had  done  the  deed,  and  the  elephant  went  only  some 
ten  yards  from  the  spot  where  it  was  shot.  The  tusks, 
though  not  very  large,  were  an  extremely  handsome  pair, 
weighing  together  35  lbs. 

Next  morning  we  extracted  the  ivories,  and  then,  after  I 
had  shot  a  zebra,  to  keep  the  camp  in  meat,  I  set  off  on  an 
exploratory  trip.  We  at  first  went  east,  then  south,  along 
the  base  of  the  hills,  seeing  numerous  traces  of  elephants. 
At  last  we  reached  a  gorge  leading  up  the  hills,  and  Ave  were 
greatly  struck  by  the  enormous  pathway  and  the  evidences 
of  elephants  in  great  numbers  having  formed  it  in  going  to 
and  fro  to  the  hills.  Following  it  up,  we  traversed  a  narrow 
defile,  then  ascended  through  a  dense  bush  forest  notable  for 
the  enormous  number  of  black  pigeons  feeding  lapon  the  fruit. 
On  reaching  the  top  we  found  the  country  stretching  away 
in  one  great  exj)anse  of  light  green,  slightly  sinking,  to  rise 
again  in  another  range  of  hills.  A  beautiful  open  road,  like 
the  cattle-tracks  of  Ngongo,  led  pleasantly  through  the  tall, 
much-branched  bush.  While  moving  leisurely  along  this, 
Ave  Avere  suddenly  arrested  by  the  sound  of  elejjhants  on  our 
left.  Running  back  on  our  tracks  to  get  the  Avind  in  our 
favour,  Ave  entered  the  forest,  and  noiselessly  threaded  our 
Avay.  I  speedily  sighted  one  of  the  elephants.  Getting  up 
to  Avithin  ten  yards,  I  fired,  but  doubtless  the  intervening 
branches  spoiled  my  shot  someAvhat.  The  bullet,  hoAvever, 
struck.  Off  the  animal  rushed,  and  I,  forgetful  and  excited, 
hastened  after  it,  looking  neither  to  right  nor  left.  I  had 
not  continued  the  chase  many  yards,  before  I  found  myself 
close  upon  the  wounded  animal,  Avhich  Avas  bleeding  profusely. 
Again  I  fired,  hitting  it  on  the  other  side.  In  the  very  mo- 
ment of  my  firing,  I  became  aAA^are  of  a  crashing  on  my  left  in 
such  startling  proximity  that  it  gave  me  a  feeling  as  of  cold 
water  running  doAvn  my  back.  As  I  quickly  looked  around, 
the  head  of  an  elephant  Avas  just  emerging  from  the  dense 
bush  on  to  the  small  clear  area  in  Avhich  I  stood.  I  dropped  in- 
stantly behind  a  very  small  bush,  mentally  concluding  that 


Ardent,  bot  Anxious.  327 

my  life  was  not  worth  five  minutes'  purchase  if  the  elephant 
was  vindictively  inclined.  The  position  was,  certainly,  not 
without  elements  of  the  thrilling  sort.  Here  I  was,  on  my 
knee,  behind  a  small  skeleton  hush,  positively  looking  up  at 
an  enormous  wild  elephant,  the  head  of  which  was  almost 
over  me  ;  one  elephant  was  running  away  on  my  right,  four 
or  five  were  behind  me,  and  several  on  my  left.  I  was,  in 
fact,  in  the  midst  of  a  herd  of  elephants — though  I  must 
hasten  to  explain  to  the  reader  that  they  were  all  running 
away  from  the  spot,  with  the  exception  of  the  one  in  front  of 
me.  For  a  moment  it  looked  around  with  a  stolid  air,  as  if 
inquiring  what  on  earth  all  this  row  meant.  I  was  unseen, 
being  indeed  too  immediately  under  it.  My  gun  was  levelled, 
however,  dead  for  a  hollow  over  one  of  its  eyes,  and  if  it 
should  move  one  more  step  forward,  my  bullet  would  find  a 
home  in  the  bony  cavities  of  the  brute's  skull.  As  I  crouched, 
like  a  stone  statue,  watching  with  dread  expectancy,  though 
with  unwavering  muscle,  for  the  opportunity  of  action,  the 
elephant  turned  sharp  round,  and  the  next  moment  a  bullet 
sped  to  its  heart.  Bellowing  out  in  its  acute  agony,  it  lum- 
bered away,  and,  a  few  minutes  after,  I  was  rejoined  by  my 
runaways,  who,  at  the  most  dangerous  moment  had  left  me 
in  the  lurch.  Like  blood-hounds  we  now  took  up  the  trail 
of  the  elephant  first  shot.  We  had  no  difficulty  in  tracing 
it,  as  the  blood  had  literally  spouted  out  on  both  sides, 
sprinkling  the  bushes  with  a  crimson  shower.  At  one  spot 
where  it  had  halted,  and  apparently  reeled  round  in  a  dazed 
stite,  a  considerable  space  had  been  saturated.  But  thougli 
blood  had  been  shed  at  this  rate,  the  animal  was  not  fateil 
to  be  "  bagged."  As  we  went  on  the  blood-stains  became 
less  and  less  noticeable,  and  we  had  more  and  more  difficulty 
in  following  it  up,  for,  besides  the  denseness  of  the  bush,  the 
astonishing  quantity  of  game  spoor  deterred  us  from  going 
quickly,  lest  we  should  suddenly  find  ourselves  at  the  mercy 
of  the  elephant.  For  an  hour  we  pushed  on  with  very  much 
the  same  sensations  as  we  had  experienced  in  Lykipia  when 
following  a  bufifalo  into  the  bush.  We  were,  however,  in 
great  hopes  that  we  would  secure  our  prize,  as  the  footprints 
showetl  signs  of  exhaustion,  and  it  was  evidently  dragging 
its  feet  along.  Our  hopes,  however,  were  presently  dashed 
to  the  ground.  Repeated  gunshots  from  the  distance  alarmed 
us,  for  we  knew  that  the  men  left  l^ehind  would  not  hunt 
alone.  Fearing  some  attack  by  natives,  we  hurriedly  re- 
traced our  steps,  only  to  be  compelled  to  anathematize  the 


328  Through  Masai  Land. 

men  on  hearing  that  the  occasion  of  their  firing  was  simply 
their  discovery  of  the  other  elephant  dead,  within  fifty  yards 
of  the  place  where  it  had  been  shot. 

As  the  sun  was  now  falling  in  the  western  heavens,  and 
the  camp  was  distant,  we  were  compelled  to  hurry  back,  after 
extracting  the  tusks,  which  were  about  the  same  size  as 
those  secured  on  the  previous  day.  'Next  day  we  set 
off  direct  for  the  upper  forest  region,  in  which  it  was  clear 
elephants  were  numerous.  We  had  not  gone  far  before  we 
descried  a  rhinoceros  and  young.  Working  up  to  about 
forty  yards,  I  fired  with  the  Express  and  struck  the  shoulder, 
a  little  too  high  up,  however.  Before  it  could  collect  its 
senses  together  I  gave  it  a  second  in  its  neck,  and  a  third  in 
its  side.  These  shots  paralyzed  it  at  first,  though  it  soon 
began  to  recover,  and  then  catching  sight  of  its  baby,  it  made 
as  if  to  attack  it  as  the  cause  of  its  agonies.  The  poor  little 
fellow  presented  a  piteous  and  at  the  same  time  a  comical 
spectacle  of  utter  anxiety  and  perplexity.  Apparently  the 
mother  realized  the  absurdity  of  the  idea  before  summarily 
pitching  it  in  mid-air,  and  precipitately  ran  off.  Following 
it  up,  I  was  suddenly  electrified  by  a  sound  like  the  trumpet- 
ing of  an  elephant,  and  leaving  the  rhino  to  my  men,  I 
started  off  in  pursuit  of  this  more  noble  game.  The  sound 
proved,  however,  to  emanate  from  a  buffalo. 

Getting  now  to  the  upper  region,  we  sighted  a  herd  of 
elephants.  I  fired  at  one,  but  missed  it,  and,  time  being 
short,  I  was  compelled  to  return  to  camp.  On  the  way 
back  I  shot  two  zebras.  In  one  of  the  cases,  a  bullet  with 
a  steel  core  passed  clean  through  the  heart  of  the  zebra 
and  struck  the  ground  beyond,  making  us  imagine  that  the 
game  had  escaped  scatheless.  The  animal  galloped  only  a 
few  yards,  and  then  dropped  dead.  The  men  had  secured 
the  rhinoceros  of  the  morning  ;  so  we  were  in  no  lack  of 
meat,  however  tough  and  unsavoury. 

Next  day  we  had  no  better  luck,  and  though  we  saw 
some  elephants,  we  did  not  get  a  shot.  It  was  clear  to  us 
that  these  animals  Avere  in  very  great  numbers  in  the  forest, 
only  the  latter  was  so  dense  that  no  view  could  be  got 
extending  beyond  six  yards,  and  our  only  guide  was  the 
crashing  of  branches  when  the  elephants  were  feeding.  If 
not  making  some  such  noise,  we  might  pass  within  four  or 
five  yards,  and  be  quite  unconscious  of  their  presence. 
The  fact  that  on  five  consecutive  days  we  stumbled  upon 
them,  sufficiently  indicates  how  numerous  they  were. 


A  FiEECE  Buffalo.  329 

Unfortunately  we  were  badly  camped  for  hunting  this 
virgin  forest.  It  required  from  four  to  five  hours  to  reach 
it,  and  by  that  time  the  elephants  had  fed,  and  were 
enjoying  their  siesta.  The  distance  made  it  impossible  for 
us  to  have  more  than  three  hours'  hunting  before  we 
required  to  return,  We  were  thus  on  an  average  over  ten 
hours  a  day  on  our  feet,  and  I  was  compelled  to  take  my 
companions  in  relays,  as  they  were  all  complaining  of  being 
done  up.  The  fatigue  and  hardship  of  our  life  soon  told 
upon  myself  also ;  and  I  was  beginning  to  moralize  on  the 
sinfulness  of  risking  my  life  in  this  manner.  I  made  up 
my  mind,  therefore,  to  return  to  Njemps,  though  if  I  had 
camf>ed  up  in  the  forest,  and  remained  a  fortnight,  I  might 
have  easily  shot  a  thousand  pounds'  worth  of  ivory. 

Before  striking  camp,  I  duly  noted  that  we  had  been 
living  actually  in  the  neck  of  an  old  volcano — one  doubtless 
which  had  contributed  to  the  ejection  of  the  enormous 
masses  of  lava  of  which  the  plateau  is  composed. 

Cutting  straight  east,  over  hill  and  dale,  we  made  a  rapid 
march  to  one  of  the  lower  steps  of  the  escarpment,  when  I 
shot  an  old  buffalo  and  also  a  young  one.  The  latter  was 
remarkably  fierce,  and  showed  well  the  dangerous  character 
of  its  race.  After  it  had  its  leg  broken,  and  was  run  to 
bay,  it  charged  us  bravely,  and  though  I  had  actually  fired 
in  its  eyes  with  my  rifle,  it  only  rushed  the  more  furiously 
on  me,  as  if  it  had  resolved  that  if  it  must  quit  life  it 
would  do  so  in  company.  Zebras,  eland,  &&,  were  in 
very  great  numbers,  and  many  lions  roared  during  the 
night. 

Next  day,  by  a  very  difficult  road,  we  reached  the  north 
end  of  Baringo.  On  the  way  I  saw  a  lion,  shot  a  species  of 
antelope  new  to  me,  and  new,  I  believe,  to  science,  and  was 
greatly  delighted  by  hundreds  of  zebras  gambolling  playfully 
about  us  at  a  distance  of  thirty  yards,  utterly  unconscious  of 
danger. 

The  sit«  of  our  camp,  though  the  most  uncomfortable  I 
ever  saw,  had  the  advantage  of  a  most  charming  \'iew  of  the 
lake,  with  Kirwan  to  the  south,  and  an  islet-dotted  arm 
running  north  between  rugged  precipices  of  the  most 
picturesque  description. 

Before  reaching  this  camp,  I  had  an  adventure  of  the 
most  blood-curdling  description.  I  was  painfully  pushing 
my  way  over  stone  and  through  thorn  without  a  weapon — 
my  gim-bearer  being  away  behind,  when  I  saw  a  sight  which 


330  Through  Masai  Land. 

made  me  strike  an  attitude  that  would  have  brought  down 
thunders  of  applause  on  the  boards  of  a  transpontine  theatre. 
A  magnificent  lion  lay  some  fifteen  yards  ahead  of  me, 
enjoying  a  siesta.  I  was  weaponless.  I  looked  round,  only 
to  see  that  I  was  alone.  Crouching  down,  I  began  to 
retreat,  carefully  fixing  his  sleeping  Majesty  with  my  eye. 
Getting  some  distance  back,  I  soon  met  my  men,  and  then 
my  gestures  and  evident  excitement  must  have  made  them 
think  me  mad.  I  seized  a  Snider,  and  in  an  ecstasy  of  ex- 
cited anticipation,  I  proceeded  to  "beard  the  lion  in  his 
den."  The  moment  was  supreme:  I  was  (as  I  vowed  to 
myself)  about  to  add  the  skin  of  the  king  of  beasts  as  a 
fitting  finale  to  my  hunting  trophies.  In  my  imagination,  I 
was  already  detailing  a  thrilling  story  to  awe-struck  audiences 
at  home,  as  I  exhibited  the  spoils  of  the  chase.  I  was 
delighted  to  notice  on  my  return  to  the  point  of  first 
discovery,  that  the  royal  beast  was  still  asleep,  and  then  I 
submitted  with  all  the  stoicism  of  an  Indian  fakir  to  the 
tortures  of  stalking  in  this  horrid  region.  Thorns  might 
penetrate  my  flesh,  skin  be  knocked  off  my  hands  and  knees, 
but  they  could  not  extort  a  sound,  or  divert  my  steadfast 
gaze  from  the  lion.  Foot  by  foot  I  crept  on  with  rising 
hopes  and  excitements,  breathlessly  absorbed  in  the  adven- 
ture. I  reduced  my  distance  to  thirty  yards,  then  to 
twenty  ;  yet  the  animal  heeded  me  not.  The  requirements 
of  the  chase  I  thought  were  satisfied.  I  must  fire  now  ! 
and  I  did.  There  was  a  fearful  roar  (from  the  gun,  not  the 
lion)  and  an  expression  of  pain  as  my  knee  subsided  with 
startling  emphasis  on  to  the  point  of  a  big  thorn.  I  looked 
to  see  my  game  spring  high  in  mid-air  with  a  wild  death  yell. 
But  no ;  it  did  not  move.  It  must  be  struck  stone  dead  ! 
I  thought ;  but  to  make  sure,  I  fired  again.  No  effect. 
Hurrah  !  a  lion  at  last !  I  jumped  up,  and  shouted  to  my 
men  to  come  and  see  what  I  had  done.  They  soon  came 
along,  shouting  out  in  their  excitement,  Avhile  I  turned  and 
made  for  the  carcass.  I  had  not  gone  many  yards  before  I 
received  a  blow  (mentally).  "  Good  gracious  !  "  escaped  from 
me  as  the  awful  truth  crossed  my  mind  that  my  friends  might 
**  write  me  down  an  ass."  The  lion  was  indeed  stojte  dead. 
I  had  been  firing  at  a  rock  !  I  did  not  wait  to  explain  to 
my  bewildered  followers  what  had  happened.  I  slunk  away, 
and  afterwards  pretended  that  it  Avas  a  little  joke  of  mine 
to  vary  the  monotony  of  the  march. 

I  shall  not  attempt  to  describe  the  horrible  march  wo  had 


Dreadful  News.  331 

next  day,  climbing  dangerous  precipices,  and  clambering 
over  enormous  angular  blocks,  from  between  which  sprang 
up  wait-a-bit  thorns  of  the  most  harassing  character.  After 
fourteen  hours'  hard  tramping,  we  stumbled  into  camp  at 
Baringo  in  a  pitch-dark  night,  and  amid  a  pouring  rain. 
And  so  ended  my  hunting  and  exploring  trip  roimd  the  lake. 
In  the  course  of  the  ten  days  I  had  shot  six  zebra,  four 
rhinoceroses,  four  buffaloes,  three  elephants,  one  giraffe,  and 
one  antelope. 

On  my  return  there  was  still  no  news  of  Jumba,  and  I 
therefore  determined  to  march  homeward,  as  we  were  in 
danger  of  starvation — neither  the  Njemps  people  nor  those 
of  Kamasia  having  any  food  to  sell.  This  would  necessitate 
the  desertion  of  the  men  whom  Jumba  had  left  behind ; 
but  then  I  had  a  duty  I  owed  to  my  own  caravan,  which 
would  run  a  very  great  risk  of  being  stuck  entirely  up 
country-  for  want  of  goods. 

I  had  determined  to  start  on  the  17th  of  February,  when  we 
were  all  shocked  by  most  dreadful  news  brought  by  Jumlm's 
Njemps  guide.  He  declared  he  was  the  only  man  left  of  the 
entire  caravan,  every  one  having  lx!en  massacred  in  ElgumL 
He  told  his  story  in  such  a  circumstantial  and  apparently 
truthful  manner,  that  I  could  not  but  believe  him. 

After  that,  of  course  the  traders  could  not  be  deserted. 
Moran  and  Haniis,  who  were  in  Kamasia,  must  be  sent  for, 
so  that  we  might  all  return  together. 

On  the  22nd  of  February,  we  left  our  camp  under  the 
sycamore- tree  of  Guaso  Tigirish  and  moved  on  to  Njemps  of 
Guaso  na  Nyuki,  where  I  stopped  another  day  to  await  the 
arrival  of  Moran,  who  had  exceeded  his  time.  Next  day 
fortunately  he  arrived,  and  shortly  after  appeared  a  native  of 
Njemps,  who  had  just  come  from  the  Suk  country,  and  who 
brought  the  remarkable  intelligence  that  the  story  of  Jumba's 
annihilation  was  all  a  lie.  Here  was  a  proper  quandary  !  I 
was  inclined  to  believe  the  first  messenger,  the  traders  the 
second.  On  going  into  council,  I  made  it  clear  to  them  that 
I  could  upon  no  account  stop  to  verify  the  intelligence,  as 
my  men  were  already  on  half-rations,  and  our  goods  nearly 
finished.  The  traders,  however,  with  sentiments  which  did 
them  much  honour,  declared  that  they  were  quite  resolved 
not  to  desert  Jumba  or  forsake  the  trust  reposed  in  them. 
They  must  wait  for  him,  though  they  shoultl  starve  or  be 
killed.  Hamis  elected  to  go  with  us,  and  we  took  charge  of 
several  loads  of  ivory.     As  all  the  goods  of  the  traders  were 


332  Through  Masai  Land. 

exhausted,  I  had  to  give  them  some  of  my  sadly  diminislied 
stores,  to  keep  them  from  starvation. 

On  the  24th  of  February,  we  resumed  our  march  towards 
Naivasha.  Our  route  lay  S.S.E.  to  the  end  of  the  alhivial 
plain  of  Baringo,  where  it  forms  an  angle  with  its  apex  to 
the  south.  Here  a  considerable  area  is  occupied  by  a 
marshy  lake,  fed  by  two  streams  and  a  number  of  large  springs, 
which  on  examination  proved  to  have  a  temperature  of  100°. 
From  the  marsh,  we  entered  a  close  glen  or  gorge.  Through 
this  ran  a  fine  stream,  the  IS'gare  Eongei  (Narrow  River), 
which  also  had  its  source  in  a  number  of  hot  springs,  that 
were  to  be  seen  bubbling  up  along  a  line  of  fault.  To  judge 
from  the  large  deposits  of  travertin,  there  must  be  great 
quantities  of  lime  in  solution  in  the  springs. 

Pushing  on  rapidly  up  the  glen — which  on  our  left  pre- 
sented a  precipice,  and  on  our  right  a  slope  grading  up  to  form  a 
hill — we  soon  after  reached  a  more  open  space  with  a  marshy 
expanse  formed  by  the  head  springs  of  the  N"gare  Kongei. 
Here  we  camped,  and  had  to'be  content  to  drink  warm  water. 

Eunning  parallel  to  our  route,  was  another  glen  to  the 
east  with  exactly  similar  topographical  features  ;  namely,  a 
precipice  marking  a  line  of  fault,  with  numerous  hot  springs 
gushing  from  the  fissures,  and  a  slope  leading  upwards  to  drop 
off  in  another  precipice  along  a  line  of  fault.  The  whole 
depression,  indeed,  between  Lykipia  and  Kamasia  is  formed 
by  a  sinking  of  the  ground  ;  but,  besides,  there  have  been  at 
least  three  secondary  earth  movements  parallel  to  the  main 
lines. 

I  had  now  been  for  some  days  feeling  uneasy  at  certain 
dysenteric  symptoms  which  had  appeared  in  me,  brought  on, 
doubtless,  by  the  bad  fare  of  the  last  two  months.  They  at 
last  had  begun  to  assert  themselves  in  a  most  uncompromising 
manner,  though  as  yet  not  alarmingly.  On  leaving  ISTgare 
Eongei,  I  felt  very  ill  and  weak,  but  had  to  rouse  myself  up 
to  shoot  meat  for  the  men.  I  knocked  over  tAvo  waterbuck, 
though  I  could  hardly  hold  up  the  rifle.  After  a  couple  of 
hours  I  was  compelled  to  mount  the  donkey,  but,  owing  to 
the  thorns  and  roughness  of  the  road,  I  had  to  walk  as  much 
as  ride.  I  contrived,  however,  to  shoot  one  rhinoceros,  and 
Brahim  a  second.  A  third  I  had  a  very  narrow  escape  from. 
I  was  riding  away  ahead  with  Muhinna  and  the  cook,  while 
my  guns  were  far  behind.  We  were  suddeidy  thrown  un  our 
beam-ends  by  the  sight  of  a  rhino  charging  straight  for  us 
out  of  the  bushes.     Struggling  oif  the  donkey  ("  Nil  Des- 


Alarming  Prospect.  333 

perandum "),  I  seized  Muhinna's  Snider,  only  to  find  it 
unloaded.  With  eager  haste  I  crammed  in  a  cartridge,  and 
with  weak  and  shaky  hands  I  fired  when  the  beast  was 
actually  within  three  yards.  The  ball  took  eflfect  in  the 
shoulder,  causing  the  brute  to  swerve  and  pass  on  one  side. 
After  a  waterless  march  of  eight  hours,  we  camped  on  the 
Guaso  na  Nyuki.  I  here  became  much  worse,  and  covJd 
neither  eat  nor  sleep. 

Next  da)''s  march  was  distinguished  by  my  rapidly  in- 
creasing illness,  and  by  the  sight  of  enormous  herds  of 
buffalo  grazing  on  the  succulent  new  grass  springing  up  on  the 
lower  plains.  In  spite  of  my  illness,  my  shooting  powers 
kept  up  wonderfully,  as  I  brought  down  buffaloes  with  single 
shots  and  at  great  distances.  At  150  yards  I  shot  three,  the 
single  buUet  in  each  case  being  sufficient  "NVe  crossed  the 
beds  of  two  small  dried-up  lakes,  and  at  mid-day  we  halted 
beside  a  fine  stream  flowing  to  the  Guaso  na  Nyuki.  Cloee 
to  camp  I  shot  a  zebra  at  200  yards. 

On  the  27th  I  could  not  walk ;  yet  we  had  no  alternative 
but  to  push  on.  We  reached  a  kraal  of  El-moran  and  their 
sweethearts.  These  young  warriors  were  magnificent  speci- 
mens, and  were  surprisingly  on  their  good  behaviour.  I  now 
made  certain  that  I  was  suffering  from  dysentery  of  the  worst 
type,  and  my  look-out  was  certainly  gloomy  enough,  as  I  had 
not  a  single  European  article  except  tea — not  even  common 
salt 

Next  day  I  struggled  onward,  but  was  almost  glatl  that  we 
were  compelled  to  halt  at  a  kraal  of  El-moran,  after  little 
more  than  an  hour's  tramp.  We  were  here  almost  due  east  of 
the  north  end  of  the  salt  lake  of  Xakuro. 

Our  next  camp,  which  was  near  the  north  end  of  El- 
meteita,  we  reached  after  a  four  hours'  swift  march,  under  a 
terribly  hot  sun.  By  this  time  I  required  to  be  supported  on  the 
donkey.  The  whole  country  presented  a  fearful  spectacle  of 
skeletons  and  dried  skins,  which  told  eloquently  a  tale  of 
disease  and  death.  The  scourge  had  found  its  way  from  the 
plateau,  and  had  hardly  left  a  head  of  cattle  in  the  entire 
country.  At  this  camp  the  place  was  pointed  out  where,  a 
few  years  ago,  a  Mombasa  caravan  had  been  utterly  annihi- 
lated by  the  !Masai,  owing  to  some  trivial  dispute. 

The  following  march  was  to  Kekupe,  past  the  edge  of  El- 
meteita,  great  patches  of  which  seemed  to  be  suffus^  with  a 
pinky  glow.     This  is  due  to  multitudes  of  flamingoes. 

More  dead  than  alive,  and  held  on  the  donkey  more  like 


334  Through  Masai  Land. 

a  corpse  than  a  sentient  being,  I  was  borne  away  from 
Kekupe.  The  one  refrain  that  passed  hopefully  through  my 
brain  was,  *'  Let  us  get  to  Naivasha,  and  milk  will  put  me  all 
right."  And  so,  heedless  of  horrid  tortures  and  burning  suns, 
I  pressed  the  men  onward.  One  man  died  of  dysentery. 
The  Masai  saw  the  death,  and  consequently  he  had  to  be  left 
to  the  hyenas.  Martin,  good  soul,  was  in  despair,  and  he 
said  eloquently — though  unintentionally — with  his  eyes, 
"  You  are  dying  !  and  what  on  earth  shall  I  do  ?  "  I  smiled, 
however,  at  the  idea,  as  I  had  not  yet  made  up  my  mind  to 
cave  in,  and  the  will,  after  all,  has  something  to  do  with 
these  matters. 

On  the  4th  of  March  we  reached  our  old  camping-ground 
of  Msegina,  at  the  north  end  of  IsTaivasha,  and  there  I  utterly 
collapsed.  I  could  neither  stand  nor  sit.  Even  milk  curdled 
in  the  stomach,  and  the  crisis  of  my  fate  had  come.  I  had 
much  reason  to  fear  perforation  of  the  colon,  which  I  knew 
would  mean  speedy  death.  The  rest,  however,  had  a  good 
effect.  The  lamp  of  life  flickered  a  little,  then  became  more 
steady.  I  never  lost  hope,  and  the  idea  of  my  becoming 
moat  for  the  hyenas  was  one  I  would  never  permit  myself  to 
entertain  for  a  moment. 

For  seven  days  I  got  absolutely  nothing  but  a  few  cups  of 
clear  soup  to  keep  me  going.  Owing  to  the  cattle  disease,  no 
food  was  to  be  had  for  love  or  money.  Martin  and  the  men, 
however,  contrived  to  shoot  three  zebra  and  to  buy  two  rotten 
bullocks,  which  staved  off  starvation. 

While  we  were  at  Naivasha,  the  remnants  of  a  war-party 
got  back  from  Xandi,  near  Kavirondo,  where  they  had  been 
utterly  thrashed  and  one-half  of  their  number  killed, — the 
rest  ]*etuming  home  in  ones  and  twos,  some  without  spears, 
many  without  shields.  Finding  myself  a  little  better  after 
two  days'  rest,  I  resolved  to  proceed  to  Mianzi-ni  (place  of 
bamboos),  on  the  plateau,  and  try  to  get  into  communication 
with  the  "Wa-kikuyu  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  food.  A 
hammock  was  rigged  on  a  pole.  I  was  lifted  into  it,  and  off 
we  started.  We  rounded  the  lake,  and  soon  were  moving  up 
the  slopes  towards  Mianzi-ni. 

At  our  camp  another  man  died  of  dysentery,  and  again 
Martin  was  compelled  to  leave  the  poor  fellow  as  a  feast  to 
the  hyenas.  Martin,  thinking  tliat  my  fate  was  likely 
.speedily  to  bo  the  same,  did  not  tell  me  anything  about  it  till 
long  after. 

On  the  third  march   we  surmounted  the  last  stop  of  the 


A   MAGNIFICENT  ViEW 


335 


escarpment,  and  then  a  magnificent  view  burst  upon  us.  We 
were  looking  across  a  great  plain,  slightly  undulating  and 
perfectly  treeless,  bounded  on  the  east  by  the  imposing  mass 
of  the  Aberdare  Range,  with  Donyo  Kinangop  rising  in  pic- 
turesque distinction.  Through  a  slight  gap  the  snowy  peak 
of  Kenia  glittered  in  crystal  purity.  To  the  south-east  lay 
the  wooded  highlands  of  Kikuyu,  with  forests  of  bamboo  in 
the  foreground.  To  the  south-west  we  saw  the  yawning  pit 
of  Donyo  Longonot,  and  the  romantic  expanse  of  Naivasha, 
To  the  south  the  desolate  plain  of  Dogil^mi,  and  to  the  east 
the  massive  escarpment  of  Mau.  I  got  myself  held  up  to 
view  this  grand  landscape — probably  unsurpassed  anywhere — 


HIAXZI-XI  PBOSI   THE  SOUTH.      MASAI   KBAAL  UT  THE  JOBBOBOFITO. 

and,  weak  and  weary  as  I  was,  I  surveyed  the  glorious 
panorama  with  infinite  delight,  though  also  with  a  spice  of 
awe.  "^ 

Shortly  after,  we  entered  the  bamboo  forest,  and,  to  our 
great  astonishment,  we  were  soon  made  aware  that  the  traders 
we  had  left  with  the  Andorobbo  of  Kenia  had  found  their 
way  thither,  and  were  hiding  among  the  hunters,  unable  to 
return  alone,  and  hoping  for  the  appearance  of  Jumba's 
caravan.  The  sight  of  our  party  of  course  raised  their  spirits 
as  they  were  now  able  to  come  forth  and  join  us.  ' 

At  Mianzi-ni  we  found  ourselves  at  a  height  of  nearly  9000 
feet,  and  anything  but  comfortable.    The  cold  was  excessive 


336  Theough  Masai  Land. 

and  the  misery  of  it  was  unspeakably  intensified  by  the 
damp  and  the  almost  daily  rain.  It  felt  worse  than  the 
east  of  Scotland  in  early  spring.  A  steady  wind  blew 
from  the  east  during  the  day,  though  fortunately  falling  away 
at  night.  Everything  was  sloppy  and  wet,  and  hail-storms 
were  common. 

For  the  first  two  days  I  began  to  feel  myself  getting  better, 
and  I  might  have  been  all  right  within  a  fortnight  if  I  had  had 
a  little  proper  food  and  medicine  ;but  clear  soup  made  from 
diseased  meat  of  the  most  disgusting  character  was  hardly 
suitable  as  an  invalid's  food. 

On  the  12th  of  March  I  find  the  following  entry  in  my  diary  : 
— "  After  a  critical  three  days,  during  Avhich  I  hovered  on  the 
verge  of  the  grave,  I  have  contrived  to  give  Death  the  slip  by 
timely  'joukin'  roun'  the  corner,'  and  to  strike  out  on  more 
hopeful  bearings.  Appetite  returning,  and,  after  some  four- 
teen days'  starvation,  able  to  eat  a  little."  After  that  there 
appears  in  my  journal  a  blank  of  six  weeks,  which  tells 
eloquently  its  own  tale. 

On  the  day  following  the  entry,  I  was  removed  from  the 
tent  into  an  imperfectly-thatched  grass  hut.  Immediately 
after,  a  terrific  storm  of  thunder  and  hail  burst  over  Mianzi- 
ni.  For  hours  great  lumps  of  ice  fell  incessantly,  amidst 
crashing  thunder  and  vivid  lightning.  Everything  was 
drenched,  and  I  myself  was  speedily  soaking.  The  whole 
country  for  sixteen  hours — at  least  wherever  it  was  free  from 
forest — lay  absolutely  white.  It  was  like  a  winter  scene  in 
England. 

The  consequence  of  this  wetting  was  a  relapse  under  the 
most  Avretched  circumstances.  Throughout  the  period  re- 
presented by  the  blank  I  lay  at  death's  door.  I  never  knew 
what  it  was  to  have  more  than  fifteen  minutes'  sleep.  I  was 
confined  to  a  grass  hut  without  a  window.  Owing  to  the 
cold,  even  the  door  had  to  be  kept  shut,  so  that  I  lay  in 
almost  complete  darkness.  A  f^re  could  not  be  liglited,  and 
I  had  no  material  to  make  candles.  Martin,  poor  fellow, 
felt  my  situation  too  acutely  to  be  a  very  enjoyable  com- 
panion. I  myself  could  not  talk,  and  many  times  I  actually 
thought  I  had  seen  the  last  of  this  world.  And  through  the 
dreadful,  weary,  sleepless  nights,  how  mournfully  did  the 
wind  sigh  through  the  l)amboos,  and  how  gratefully  I  thanked 
God  to  hear  the  cock  crow  (we  had  brought  one  with  us 
from  Kavirondo),  and  then  waited  and  listened  to  hear  the 
chirping  of  the  feathered  inhabitants  of  the  wilds  gradually 


A  Six  Weeks'  Struggle  with  Death.    337 

rising  in  volume,  till  through  the  chinks  in  the  grass  walls 
could  be  seen  faint  pencils  of  light,  and  I  knew  that  another 
weary  day  had  begun.  Then  would  appear  Songoro  with 
some  soup,  and  later  on  Martin  would  turn  up  with  kindly 
inquiries.  I  became  an  object  fearful  to  look  upon,  with 
eyes  sunk  away  deep  into  my  skull.  A  skin  bag  drawn 
tightly  over  a  skeleton  and  enclosing  a  few  indispensable 
organs  of  the  human  frame  might  express  graphically  my 
general  appearance.  I  was  almost  afraid  to  bend  myself,  lest 
the  skin  would  not  bear  the  tension  over  my  bones.  Fortu- 
nately my  pains  were  only  occasionally  acute,  but  if  ever  I 
attempted  the  smaUest  bit  of  solid  food  it  caused  me  to 
writhe  alx)ut  in  agony. 

But  enough  of  these  detaUs,  which  can  have  little  interest 
for  the  reader. 

The  Masai  of  the  surroimding  district  were  at  this  time  in 
despair  through  the  almost  utter  loss  of  their  cattle,  and  from 
the  absence  of  rains  in  the  low-lying  district  causing  them  to 
remain  up  in  the  cold  bleak  highlands.  They  were  greatly 
disposed  to  ascribe  their  misfortunes  to  our  presence. 
"  What  do  you  want  here  ?  "  they  would  ask.  "  You  have 
no  goods  left ;  you  can't  give  our  young  warriors  their 
customary  presents.  The  rain  is  not  coming,  and  the  grass 
has  not  sprimg  up.  Our  cattle  are  dying  off.  You  must  be 
the  cause  of  all  this."  ^feanwhile  it  had  to  be  kept  secret 
that  I  was  ill,  or  we  should  have  been  bundled  out  bag  and 
baggage.  It  was  represented  that  the  great  white  lybon  was 
hatching  some  infallible  medicine,  that  he  was  in  consulta- 
tion with  the  gods,  and  must  not  be  seen  by  mortal  eye. 

The  temper  of  the  Masai  was  well  shown  one  day,  when 
a  porter,  having  declared  he  had  not  a  string  of  beads  to  give 
in  alms  to  a  waiTior,  the  latter  showetl  his  belief  that  he  had 
no  right  to  be  crawling  between  heaven  and  earth  in  that 
miserable  plight  by  spitting  him  on  one  of  their  temble 
spears,  and  afterwards  splitting  his  skull  open.  That  event 
took  place  at  the  very  gates  of  the  camp,  and  before  we  got 
the  matter  squared  up  ice  had  to  pay  compensation  to  the 
Masai  for  blood  having  been  spQt  in  their  territory. 

Towards  the  end  of  April  we  were  all  greatly  astonished 
and  delighted  by  the  appearance  of  Jumba  Kimameta  and 
his  entire  caravan,  all  safe  and  sound,  and  fairly  well  loaded 
with  ivory  from  regions  never  before  reached  by  a  coast 
caravan. 

The  weary  days  thus  went  on,  and  I  alternated  between 

z 


338  Through  Masai  Land. 

periods  of  hope  and  despair,  though  frequently  I  would  have 
welcomed  death  as  a  happy  release.  It  noAv,  however, 
"became  increasingly  clear  to  me  that  I  should  never  get 
hotter  in  the  cold,  wet  heights  of  Mianzi-ni,  and  I  at  last 
determined  that,  as  death  in  any  case  seemed  almost  certain, 
I  might  as  well  close  my  career  in  an  attempt,  however 
hopeless,  to  reach  the  coast.  I  was  accordingly  borne  off, 
the  mere  shadow  of  my  old  self.  Descending  the  escarp- 
ment, we  camped  behind  Donyo  Kejabe,  where  I  got  a  good 
supply  of  milk.  I^ext  day  I  was  joined  by  Jumba,  and  we 
proceeded  to  our  old.  camp  at  Guaso  Kedong.  There  we 
found  the  ivory  cache  all  safe,  though  a  Masai  kraal  had 
been  built  on  the  top  of  it.  The  warriors  were  in  great 
numbers  around  us,  and  during  the  night  we  were  kept  in  a 
very  lively  state  by  their  incessant  attempts  to  steal,  which 
ended  in  their  carrying  off  a  large  number  of  donkeys. 
Next  day  they  showed  a  disposition  to  fight,  but  fortunately 
we  got  off  without  bloodshed. 

Two  days  later  we  reached  Ngongo-a-Bagas,  and  there  we 
found  a  huge  caravan  of  1 200  men.  "We  were  received  with 
great  hospitality,  and  a  large  tax  was  levied  for  our  benefit ; 
for  it  is  customary  for  a  caravan  proceeding  up  country  to 
assist  gratis  with  goods  a  caravan  going  coastwards,  which 
is  supposed  to  have  nothing  but  ivory,  and  to  be  at  the 
starvation  point — a  description  which  we  certainly  merited. 

Jumba  and  the  entire  caravan  now  brought  pressure  to 
bear  on  me  to  make  me  give  up  my  project  of  crossing 
Kapte  and  proceeding  via  U-kambani  and  Teita  to  IMombasa. 
They  were  determined  I  should  return  with  them  to  Pan- 
gani,  and  they  told  the  most  dreadful  tale  of  massacres  and 
plunder  committed  by  the  ferocious  warriors  of  Kapte.  I 
was  obdurate,  however,  and  would  listen  to  none  of  them. 
Go  I  would  by  the  route  I  had  determined.  Finding  at 
last  that  neither  lies  nor  truths  had  any  effect  upon  me,  they 
gave  way,  and  Jumba,  with  surprising  generosity,  gave  me  a 
very  large  present  of  beads,  cloth,  and  wire,  to  help  mo 
onward.  A  more  thoroughly  good  fellow  than  Jumba 
Kimameta  never  lived  (though  he  possessed  almost  all  the 
characteristic  vices  of  his  race),  and  I  thought  he  had  been 
poorly  repaid  for  his  services  when  I  left  100?.  in  the  hands 
of  Sir  John  Kirk,  to  be  spent  for  his  benefit.  I  Avas 
assisted  by  him  in  every  way,  and  rarely  thwarted — a  state- 
ment that  can  seldom  be  made  by  a  European  with  regard  to 
his  connection  with  a  coast  trader. 


Out  of  Masai  Land.  339 

On  the  7th  of  !^^ay  I  left  Jumba  and  his  caravan,  and 
crossed  the  Kapte  plain,  which  here  extends  in  treeless 
monotony  to  the  hills  of  U-kambani  ^vith  hardly  an  undula- 
tion to  vary  the  grassy  expanse.  In  two  marches  we  reached 
the  eastern  boundaries  of  !^^asai  Land  without  meeting  any 
warriors,  as  they  had  all  retreated  to  the  low  country.  Our 
progress  was  enlivened  by  our  being  scattered  by  a  rhinoceros, 
and  by  an  attempt  of  mine  to  shoot  a  magnificent  lion. 

On  leaving  Kaptc  we  entered  upon  the  mountainous  district 
of  Ulu,  which  we  found  to  be  densely  inhabited,  fertile,  and 
well  cultivated,  with  cattle  also  in  great  numbers.  In  a  few 
hard  marches  I  traversed  this  friendly  district,  with  rising 
hopes  of  life,  and  dreams  of  home  and  friends.  Instead  of 
becoming  worse,  I  was  getting  better,  and  the  only  bar  to  a 
rapid  recovery  from  my  state  of  emaciation  was  the  absence 
of  any  digestible  food. 

Leaving  Ulu,  we  emerged  on  the  barren  wastes  which 
stretch  away  to  Kikumbuliu,  and  at  a  killing  rate  wo  rushed 
through  this  forbidding,  uninhabited  wilderness — for  our 
goods  were  exhausted,  and  the  men  were  on  half-rations. 
But  there  were  no  grumbles  heard,  no  remonstrances  ex- 
pressed. The  men  worked  like  heroes,  and  pushed  on 
cheerfully  from  mom  till  dewy  eve,  often  parched  for  want 
of  water,  and  with  fell  famine  gnawing  at  their  stomachs. 
They  saw  their  bright  silvery  dollars  shining  ahead,  and  I, 
as  the  surety  for  the  realization  of  their  hopes,  was  carried 
forwartl  right  heartily.  jNIy  vow  registered  at  the  coast  was 
fulfilled  These  porters  were  regenerated  morally  and 
physically.  I  had  taken  them  away  as  the  refuse  of  Zanzibar 
rascaldom  ;  they  were  returning  as  men,  with  their  moral 
and  physical  defects  cast  off,  and  their  good  points  in  the 
ascendant.  They  laughed  at  hartlships,  and  made  jokes  re- 
garding the  emptiness  of  their  stomachs. 

"We  were  once  more  in  the  "  Xyika,"  with  all  its  inevitable 
horrors.  We  crossed  Kikumbuliu,  and  found  the  people 
dying  of  famine ;  so  no  food  was  to  be  got  there.  The 
Tzavo  was  reached,  ami  then  Ndi  of  Teita.  Our  food  was 
absolutely  finished.  One  day  the  men  did  not  get  an  article, 
and  the  next  only  a  comparatively  infinitesimal  quantity.  At 
this  point  my  two  white  donkeys,  that  had  followed  me  from 
first  to  last,  got  poisoned  in  some  way  or  other,  and  on  the 
same  day,  to  my  great  grief,  they  both  died.  At  Ndi  we 
found  the  famine  also  devastating  the  land.  No  food  was  to 
be  got.     Ndara  was  reached  on  the  21st  of  May.     There  Mr. 

z  2 


340  Theough  Masai  Land. 

"Wray  took  pity  on  my  condition,  and  gave  me  a  small 
quantity  of  coast  salt  and  a  cupful  of  rice.  We  stayed  at 
Ndara  only  one  day.  Famine  Avas  the  cry  everywhere,  and  my 
men  at  Ndara  could  get  nothing  but  sugar-cane — not  a  very 
nutritious  article  of  food  taken  by  itself. 

Three  days  later  we  startled  the  inhabitants  of  Rabai  by 
coming  upon  them  unexpectedly  and  firing  off  repeated 
volleys  ;  but  speedily  the  panic  Avas  allayed,  as  I  was  seen 
walking  through  the  village  to  greet  my  friends,  the  Rev. 
A.  D.  Shaw  and  his  charming  wife.  This  was  the  first  bit  I 
had  walked  for  more  than  three  months,  and  I  was  glad  to 
seek  repose. 

I  need  not  tell  how  I  got  to  Zanzibar,  to  find  my  old 
friend  Sir  John  Kirk  back  at  his  post,  nor  how  I  began 
rapidly  to  improve  under  his  judicious  care.  After  a  short 
stay  I  proceeded  homeward,  via  Bombay  and  Brindisi — the 
Sultan  of  Zanzibar  generously  giving  me  a  free  passage  in  one 
of  his  steamers  to  Bombay. 

I  have  but  one  word  to  add  in  conclusion,  and  that  word 
is  in  well-merited  eulogy  of  James  Martin.  I  cannot  speak 
in  too  high  terms  of  this  young  sailor,  who  was  ever  prompt 
to  do  whatever  was  required,  always  cheerful,  and,  though 
uneducated,  an  intelligent  companion.  He  never  presumed 
upon  the  favour  with  which  I  regarded  him,  and  he  had  no 
opinions  of  his  own — an  admirable  quality  for  a  subordinate 
in  an  African  expedition.  The  fact  that  from  first  to  last 
Ave  tramped  along  in  the  most  admirable  harmony,  and  never 
once  quarrelled,  speaks  volumes  of  itself. 


FINIS. 


APPENDIX. 


Metallic  Ear  Ornaments,  or  Pendants,  brought  from  East 
Central  Africa  by  ^Ir.  Joseph  Thomson,  and  examined 
by  Mr.  Richard  Smith,  of  the  Royal  School  of  Mines, 
London. 

a.  Large  Ornament,  crescent-moon  shaped,  and  nearly  circular. 
The  total  weight  of  the  specimen  was  3343.8  grains,  or  a  little 
under  a  half-pound  avoirdupois.  The  specific  gravity  was 
8.61 6.  The  external  surface  had  a  pale  brass  yellow  colour, 
and  was  less  finished  and  rather  greyer  in  tint  than  b.  The 
fracture  was  somewhat  dull,  irregular,  and  granular. 

It  was  submitted  to  chemical  analysis  with  the  following 
results : — 

Composition  per  cent. 

Copper         ....      81.15 


Zinc     . 

.      17.792 

Tin       . 

0.43 

Lead     . 
Bismuth 

0.33 
traces 

Iron 

0.28 

Silver   . 

0.018 

Gold      . 

.   minute  trace 

100.00 


h.  Small  Ornament,  crescent-moon  shaped,  and  nearly  cir- 
cular. The  total  weight  of  the  specimen  was  983.9  grains,  or 
about  two  and  a  quarter  ounces  avoirdupois.  The  specific 
gravity  was  8.692.  The  external  surface  was  bright,  smooth,  and 
pale  brass  yellow.  The  fracture  was  somewhat  dull,  irregular, 
and  granular. 

It  was  submitted  to  chemical  analysis  with  the  following 

results  : — 

Composition  per  cent. 

Copper         ....      81.75 


Zinc 

.      16.792 

Tin        .         .         . 

0.44 

Lead    . 

0.55 

Bismuth 

traces 

Iron 

0.45 

Silver   . 

.        .        0.018 

Gold      . 

minute  trace 

100.00 


342  Appendix. 

Remarhs. — The  analyses  prove  that  the  ear-ornaments  are 
brass,  an  alloy  of  copper  and  zinc.  Lead  and  iron  are  often 
present  in  small  quantities  in  copper  and  zinc.  Silver  in  minute 
amount  is  generally  present  in  copper.  The  tin  may  have 
been  added  to  the  brass  purpostly,  as  is  sometimes  the  case,  to 
alter  its  physical  character  somewhat,  or  it  may  have  been 
present  as  an  accidental  impurity  in  the  copper.  The  brass  is 
probably  of  European  origin,  or  introduced  into  the  locality  by 
traders  of  some  kind ;  the  ornaments  having  been  formed  into 
shape  by  hammering  a  solid  piece  of  the  metal,  or  by  first 
casting  the  alloy  in  a  mould  and  afterwards  finishing  by 
hammering.  I  am  not  aware  that  any  of  the  natives  of  Africa 
are  acquainted  with  the  methods  of  making  brass  from  copper 
and  zinc  ;  either  by  the  direct  method  of  melting  the  two  metals 
together,  or  by  the  older  method  of  "cementation,"  or  the  heating 
of  copper  embedded  in  a  mixture  of  zinc  ore  and  charcoal  or  coal. 
The  first  is  the  ordinary  method  in  use  at  the  present  day  for 
making  brass  corresponding  in  composition  to  the  specimens, 
and  other  varieties  of  this  alloy.  The  latter  process  of  making 
brass  was  in  use  for  many  centuries  before  metallic  zinc  was 
discovered.  Brass  similar  in  composition  to  the  above,  and 
probably  made  by  the  cementation  method,  was  known  in 
ancient  times,  as  is  proved  by  the  following  analysis,  made 
many  years  ago  by  Mr.  J.  A.  Phillips,  and  which  are  added  for 
comparision. 

Large  brass  of  Cassio  family,  B.C.  20,  metal  of  a  yellow 
colour. 

Copper         ....      82.26 

Zinc 17.31 

Iron 0.35 


99.92 


Specific  gravity  .        8.62 

Large  brass  of  Nero,  a.d.  60,  metal  of  a  bright  yellow  colour 
Copper  .        .        .        .81.07 

Zinc 17.81 

Tin 1.05 


99.93 


Specific  gravity  .        8.59 

It  would  be  a  very  interesting  subject  for  further  investiga- 
tion to  ascertain  whether  any  of  the  native  tribes  of  Africa  are 
acquainted  with  a  method  of  making  brass,  and  to  obtain  exact 
details  of  the  process.  At  the  same  time  it  woxild  be  desirable 
to  know  whether  they  had  a  knowledge  of  the  art  before  any 
intercourse  with  European  or  other  traders  existed. 


Appendix.  343 

[With  regard  to  the  metallic  omamenta  brought  by  me  from 
Kilimanjaro,  I  need  but  add  a  few  facts  to  Mr.  Smith's  note. 

The  ornaments  were  obtained  at  Kilimanjaro,  the  inhabitants 
of  which  use  them  as  weights  to  drag  down  the  lobe  of  the  ear, 
or  as  ornaments  for  the  wrist  and  for  the  neck. 

The  natives  declare  that  they  pick  up  the  metal  in  grains  in 
the  dry  beds  of  the  streams  after  the  rains,  and  hammer  it  into 
the  required  shapes.    They  all  agree  on  this  point. 

Against  the  theory  of  the  metal  being  imported  are  the 
following  facts : — 

1st.  The  traders  from  the  coast  have  the  same  story  as  the 
natives  about  its  being  found  on  the  mountain. 

2nd.  They  buy  these  ornaments  from  the  Wa-chaga  to  barter 
with  the  ti-ibes  beyond. 

3rd.  On  several  occasions  the  traders,  deceived  by  the  weight 
and  colour,  have  taken  the  metal  to  the  coast  in  the  belief  that 
it  was  gold. 

4th.  TTie  "Wa-chaga  prefer  iron  or  pure  copper  to  this  form  of 
brass,  and  eagerly  barter  it  for  those  metals. 

5th.  No  two  specimens  have  the  same  density,  and  the 
majority  of  the  wrist  and  neck  ornaments  differ  very  litUe  in 
weight  from  our  common  forms  of  brass. 

6th.  No  other  tribe  has  similar  metal  objects. 

There  seem  to  be  but  two  explanations  of  these  facts.  Either 
the  brass  is  an  importation  of  a  very  early  date,  or  it  is  found, 
as  the  natives  say,  as  a  natural  alloy,  an  occurrence,  I  believe, 
unknown  to  science. — J.  T.] 


List  of  the  Plants  collected  by  Mr.  Thomson,  F.R.G.S.,  on 
the  Mountains  of  Eastern  Equatorial  Africa,  by  Prof. 
Daniel  Oliver,  F.RS.,  trith  Observations  on  their 
Distribution,  by  Sir  J.  D.  Hooker,  F.R.S. 

[Read  15th  January,  1885.] 

In  offering  to  the  Linnean  Society  the  accompanying  cata- 
logue, by  Professor  Oliver,  of  the  small  but  very  interesting 
herbarium  made  by  Mr.  Thomson  in  the  highlands  of  Eastern 
Equatorial  Africa,  and  presented  by  him  to  Kew,  I  think  it 
may  interest  the  Fellows  if  I  preface  it  with  some  results  in 
botanical  geography  which  I  have  gleaned  from  a  study  of  its 
contents. 

I  may  premise  that  of  the  mountain  flora  of  Equatorial 
Africa  nothing  whatever  was  known  previous  to  1860,  when 
Mr.  Gustav  Mann,  who  had  acted  as  botanist  to  Dr.  Baikie's 
Niger  Expedition,  was  (on  Sir  William  Hooker's  recommenda- 
tion) instructed  by  the  Secretary  of  State  for  Foreign  Affairs 
to    explore    botanically  the    mountain-peaks   of  the   Gulf   of 


344  Appendix. 

Guinea  and  its  islands.  Mr.  Maun  accordingly  made  several 
ascents  of  Clarence  Peak,  Fernando  Po,  alt.  9469  feet ;  one  of 
St.  Thomas's  Island,  alt.  7500  feet ;  and  two  of  the  Cameroons 
range,  the  culminating  point  of  which  he  found  to  he  13,100 
feet.  The  results  of  Mr.  Mann's  admirable  labours  are  well 
known  to  this  Society,  being  published  in  the  6th  and  7th 
volumes  of  our  Journal.  To  those  results  the  following  re- 
marks may  be  regarded  as  complementary,  and  consisting  of 
an  extension  of  our  knowledge  of  the  mountain  flora  of 
Equatorial  Africa  from  the  western  coast  of  the  continent  to 
the  eastei'n. 

Of  collections  made  in  the  highest  regions  of  Eastern  Africa 
prior  to  those  of  Mr.  Thomson,  the  only  one  known  to  me  is 
that  of  the  enterprising  missionary,  the  late  Rev.  Mr.  New, 
who  was  the  first  to  reach  and  ascend  the  great  mountain 
Kilimanjaro  (in  1871),  and  who,  at  Dr.  Kirk's  instigation, 
collected  a  few  flowering  plants,  about  twenty  in  all,  in  the 
uppermost  zone  of  vegetation.  These  were  named  by  Prof. 
Oliver,  and  are  published  in  Mr.  New's  narrative.  They  are 
characteristic  of  a  higher  elevation  than  that  obtained  by  Mr. 
Thomson  on  that  mountain.  Amongst  them  are  two  northern 
genera  not  collected  by  the  latter  traveller,  Artemisia  and 
Bartsia,  which  I  have  added  to  the  list  from  which  the 
following  conclusions  are  drawn. 

The  localities  from  which  Mr.  Thomson's  specimens  were 
brought  are,  with  their  elevations : — 


Lafc. 

Lonff. 

Elevation. 

Species. 

Kilimanjaro  , 

.  S.3°0'. 

B.  37°  30 . 

9000—10,000  feet. 

35. 

Lykipia  

.  N.  1°— S.  1°. 

E.  36°  37'. 

6000—8000       „ 

68. 

Kapt^  plateau  .. 

.  S.  1°— 2°. 

E.  36'37'. 

5000-6000       „ 

34. 

Lake  Naivasna.. 

.  S.  1°. 

E.  36°. 

7000—8000      „ 

9. 

The  subjects  most  worthy  of  comment  indicated  by  a  study 
of  these  collections  may  be  grouped  as  follows  : — 

1.  The  number  and  affinities  of  the  plants  characteristic  of 
the  European  flora. 

2.  The  number  and  affinities  of  plants  characteristic  of  the 
South  African  flora. 

3.  The  comparison  of  the  Eastern  Equatorial  mountain-flora 
with  that  of  the  western  side  of  the  continent. 

4.  The  affinity  of  the   flora  with  that  of  the  highlands  of 
Abyssinia. 

5.  Origin  of  the  flora  as  assumed  from  these  data. 

1.  The  Northern  or  European  J^lement. — Of  the  107  genera 
and  140  sjDecies  of  flowcriug-plants,  no  less  than  27  genera, 
including  37  sijecies,  are  of  a  distinctly  northern  type,  and 
comprise,  amongst  others,  species  of  Ulematis,  Ranunnthis, 
Anemone,  Delphinium,  Cerastium,  Ili/pericum,  Oera7iium,  Tri' 
folium,  Lotus,  Epilohium,  Caucalis,  Galium,  Scahiosa,  Echinops, 
Artemisia,  Sonchus,  Erica,  Swertia,  Bartsia,  Leonotis,  Sumex, 
Junlperus,  and  Momulea.     And  amongst  the  species   are  Ce- 


Appendix.  345 

rastium  vulgatum  (two  forms),  Caucalis  infesta,  Galium  Aparine, 
Scabiosa  Columbaria,  Sonehua  a*per.  Erica  arhorea,  and  Ru' 

mex  obtusifolius. 

Of  the  above,  the  following  genera  have  not  been  hitherto 
detected  in  South  Africa: — Delphinium*,  Caucalis,  JSckinops*, 
Artemisia*,  Swertia,  Bartsia,  Leonotis*,  and  Juniperttg*. 
Those  marked  with  an  asterisk  have  not  been  found  in  the 
mountains  of  Western  Africa;  nor  have  the  following: — 
Anemone,  Lotus,  Epilobium,  and  Erica.  Thus  no  fewer  than 
9  northern  genera  are  added  to  the  Equatorial  African  flora  by 
this  small  herbarium  alone.  Of  all  these  the  Juniper  is  the 
most  interesting,  as  indicating  the  southern  limit  of  that  wide- 
spread northern  genus,  and  the  fact  of  its  actually  reaching  the 
Equator.  The  southern  limits  hitherto  ascertained  of  the 
genus  Juniperus  are: — In  Asia  N.  lat.  28*^,  in  the  Eastern 
Himalayas,  where  it  is  not  found  under  8000  feet  elevation ;  in 
America  it  extends  far  lower  down,  to  Guatemala  and  the 
Jamaican  mountains,  N.  lat.  about  15°.  In  Africa  the  /. 
procera  was  found  by  Schimper  in  the  Tig^  mountains  in 
N.  lat.  14°.  Having  regard  to  the  comparatively  low  elevation 
of  the  Lykipia  forest  and  its  equatorial  position,  it  is  evident 
that  a  Uttle  downward  extension  of  the  range  of  Juniperus 
would  constitute  it  a  tropical  genus. 

2.  The  Southern  or  Temperate  South-African  Element. — 
There  are  35  genera  in  the  above  collecbons  which  are  re- 
presented in  South  Africa,  some  of  which  there  obtain  their 
maximum,  or  are  even  almost  peculiar  to  that  region.  The 
most  notable  of  these  are  all  those  mentioned  above  as  northern, 
with  the  exception  of  Delphinium,  Artemisia,  Echinops,  Swertia, 
Bartsia,  and  Juniperus.  And  of  other  southern  types  there 
are  the  species  of  Sparmannia,  Calodendron,  Psoralea,  Alepidea, 
Felicia,  Tripteris,  Osteospermum,  Berkeleya,  Lightfootia,  Bla- 
eria,  Selago,  Struthiola,  Podocarpus,  Aristea,  Gladiolus,  and 
Kniphofia.  Of  these,  Felicia,  Osteospermum,  a.u^  Alepidea  had 
not  been  previously  found  north  of  the  Tropic  of  Capricorn. 
One  species  of  Clematis  is  identical  with  the  Cape  C.  Thun. 
hergiana,  as  is  the  Calodendron  with  C.  capense,  and